Webb telescope directly images small exoplanet TWA 7 b

The James Webb Space Telescope has directly imaged an exoplanet, TWA 7 b, marking a significant milestone in exoplanet observation. This is the first direct image of an exoplanet captured by the telescope. TWA 7 b, a Saturn-mass planet, orbits a star 110 light-years away and is the smallest-mass exoplanet ever directly observed. The telescope's observations reveal the planet within a disc of dust and debris, providing insights into a young planetary system. The discovery, published in Nature, utilized a special telescopic attachment to block the star's light. This allowed astronomers to observe the planet and its surrounding rings, offering a glimpse into the early stages of planetary formation.