In a truly historic moment, NASA has revealed the first image of an alien planet outside our solar system.
Captured using the James Webb Space Telescope, the first live image of its kind was released on September 1), showing the exoplanet 'HIP 65426 b' in four different light filters.
NASA confirmed that the planet is a gas giant , meaning it has no rocky surface and cannot be habitable – so no aliens, folks.
But the discovery is still remarkable, as Sasha Hinkley, associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Exeter, says:
"This is a transformative moment, not just for Webb, but for astronomy in general," she said in a statement released by the space agency.
NASA also provided a number of interesting facts about the exoplanet, including that it is about 15 to 20 million years old.
The image not only allows researchers to further examine the exoplanet, but also paves the way for the study of other distant worlds.
"I think what's most exciting is that we're just getting started," Carter added. "There are many more images of exoplanets to come that will shape our overall understanding of their physics, chemistry and formation. We may even discover previously unknown planets."
Source: Unilad
