Thursday, November 5, 2026

Exoplanets Can't Hide From The JWST's 'Digital Twin'

This image shows the exoplanet 51 Eridani b. It was detected by the Gemini Observatory and its coronagraph, which blocked out the starlight and revealed the dim exoplanet hiding in its glare. Researchers built a sort of digital coronagraph for the JWST and tested it on 51 Eridani b. The test was successful and could herald a new era of directly-imaging exoplanets. Image Credit: Image: Gemini Observatory, NSF's NOIRLab, NSF, AURA, Julien Rameau (University of Montreal), Christian Marois (NRC Herzberg)

Finding dim exoplanets hidden in the glare of their stars is an ongoing challenge in astronomy. Telescopes use coronagraphs to block out starlight, but even they have their limitations. Researchers have developed a new technique with the JWST that can find dim exoplanets more easily than ever.



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