Exoplanet WD 1856 b (artist’s concept)

Exoplanet WD 1856 b, shown in this artist’s concept, is a gas giant that survived the death of its star. It now orbits a white dwarf at a distance 50 times closer than Earth orbits the Sun. Observations by the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope not only determined the planet’s temperature but also detected molecules in its atmosphere. The former measurement provides evidence that WD 1856 b migrated to its current location billions of years after its star became a white dwarf.

[Image description: An orange gas giant planet at left, taking up about one-third of the frame, facing a star, which appears at top right as a far smaller bright dot. The planet has subtle orange cloud bands. The star illuminates the right side of the planet like the crescent of a waxing moon. Both are on the black background of space. The words “artist’s concept” are in the bottom right corner.]