James Webb Telescope Detects Weather on Exoplanet WASP-94A b
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers studied the weather on exoplanet WASP-94A b, a hot gas giant 700 light years away, in a study published on 21 May 2026.
Astronomers have used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study the weather on a planet outside our solar system, around 700 light years away. The study was published in the journal Science on 21 May 2026.
The planet, named WASP-94A b, is a gas giant almost twice the size of Jupiter but with only half its mass. It orbits very close to its star, completing one full revolution in just four days, which makes its atmosphere extremely hot.
A planet that orbits a star other than the Sun is called an exoplanet. Studying the atmospheres of exoplanets helps scientists learn about how planets form, what they are made of, and whether any could support life.
The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, is the most powerful space telescope ever built. Its ability to read the weather and atmosphere of distant planets marks a major advance in astronomy and is a useful current-affairs topic for science questions.
Key Points to Remember
- James Webb Space Telescope studied weather on exoplanet WASP-94A b
- The planet is about 700 light years away
- It is a gas giant, nearly twice Jupiter’s size but half its mass
- It orbits its star in just four days
- An exoplanet orbits a star other than the Sun
Exam Relevance
Relevant for UPSC and SSC General Awareness (Science & Technology — space, exoplanets, JWST).
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