Johns Hopkins astronomers use JWST to study HATS-75b atmosphere
Technology
Astronomers at Johns Hopkins used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study HATS-75b, a giant planet orbiting a low-mass star.
By tracking how the planet passes in front of its star, the team uncovered clues about its atmosphere and how "messy" stars can affect what we see.
Starspots complicate HATS-75b atmospheric analysis
Turns out, things like starspots and bright patches on the host star can make it tricky to figure out what's actually in the planet's atmosphere.
The findings highlight why scientists need to factor in these stellar quirks when studying rare exoplanets like HATS-75b, helping us get clearer answers about worlds far beyond our own.