The James Webb Space Telescope just captured a direct image of an icy exoplanet.

By Aniket Chakraborty July 7, 2025 Arrow SPACE

14 Herculis c orbits a Sun-like star 60 light-years away—and it’s colder than expected.

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Spotted as a faint orange dot, it was imaged using JWST’s NIRCam infrared instrument.

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Its strange orbit hints at a violent past—possibly ejecting another planet from its system.

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Using a coronagraph, JWST blocks starlight to reveal dim, distant planets in deep space.

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This planet’s orbit is steeply inclined, suggesting extreme gravitational interactions.

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At just 27°F, its atmosphere may contain carbon monoxide and dioxide, defying early models.

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Such infrared signatures help decode climate chemistry and potential habitability.

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14 Herculis c is now among the coldest directly imaged planets in the cosmos.

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JWST’s discovery reshapes how we study ancient, alien worlds—planet by planet.

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