The disappearing planet next door has astronomers intrigued
SMRTR summary
NASA's Webb telescope found evidence of a gas giant planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, 4 light-years away. Detected in August 2024 using Webb's MIRI instrument, the planet vanished in later observations, likely due to its elliptical orbit. If confirmed, this Saturn-sized world would be the closest exoplanet in a Sun-like star's habitable zone. Its presence in a binary star system challenges planetary formation theories and makes it a prime target for future studies by Webb and the Roman Space Telescope.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Science Daily.
Read the original article