Latest news with #SIMP0136
WIRED
24-03-2025
- Science
- WIRED
Scientists Scan Mysterious Planet as It Drifts Through Space
Mar 24, 2025 5:00 AM A team of researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to uncover new details about SIMP 0136, a free-floating planet in the Milky Way that does not orbit a star. Not every large object in space forms part of a solar system. There are some big objects that exist in isolation in space, without either being a star or orbiting one. One of these, SIMP 0136, wanders aimlessly in the Milky Way, about 20 light years away from Earth. It has a mass about 13 times that of Jupiter, and is thought to have the structure and chemical composition of a giant gas planet, though its true characteristics have not yet been determined. Such untethered objects are typically classified either as 'free-floating planets,' which form inside a star system, but are thrown out by the gravitational force of another planet, or as 'brown dwarfs,' which form like stars in dense molecular clouds of gas and dust, but lack the mass to undergo stable nuclear fusion like a typical star (for this reason, brown dwarfs are sometimes also known as 'failed stars'). It is unclear yet whether SIMP 0136 belongs to either of these categories. To try to find out more about SIMP 0136's characteristics, a team made up of researchers from Boston University and other institutions recently conducted detailed observations of the mysterious free-floating SIMP 0136 using the James Webb Space Telescope. An illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope, which was launched in December 2021. ILLUSTRATION: NASA SIMP 0136 was an ideal target for research, for several reasons. Although difficult to observe using visible light, it shines brightly in infrared—in fact, SIMP 0136 is the brightest free-floating planetary-mass object in the northern sky. And because it is free-moving, observations of it aren't affected by the light of nearby stars. On top of this, its rotation time is very short, about 2 hours and 40 minutes. This allows for efficient global observation of the planet. The James Webb Space Telescope was selected for this work because of its excellent infrared observation capabilities. The team used two instruments that focus on different infrared wavelengths to look at the planet: the telescope's Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) and its Mid Infrared Observatory (MIRI). The team used NIRSpec to observe the object for over three hours, enough to cover the entire planet's rotational period. Then, MIRI was used to observe for another rotation. A video explaining the telescope's NIRSpec instrument. Previous observations had shown that SIMP 0136's brightness varies, but the reason for this was unclear. So, the team analyzed new data gathered from the James Webb Space Telescope using an atmospheric model, and found that some wavelengths of infrared light recorded (shown in red in the diagram below) came from a cloud of evaporated iron molecules in the deepest layer of the planet's atmosphere, while some other infrared wavelengths (shown in yellow below) came from a cloud of silicate mineral particles in the the planet's upper atmosphere. An illustration of the team's findings. The Y axis represents infrared brightness, the X axis the rotation of SIMP 0136. The curves are colored according to the wavelength of infrared light observed. ILLUSTRATION: NASA/ESA/CSA/JOSEPH OLMSTED (STSCI) The unevenness of the state of each cloud layer is thought to be the reason why the brightness of SIMP 0136 changes as it rotates. It's easy to understand if you think of Jupiter, which as a gas giant planet likely has a similar structure and chemical composition. Or for another way to picture this, try imagining the surface of the Earth, says Philip Muirhead of Boston University, a coauthor of a new paper outlining these findings about SIMP 0136. 'As the Earth rotates, when the ocean comes into view, you will observe stronger blue colors, and when you observe stronger brown or green colors, it means that continents, forest areas, et cetera come into view,' he explains. An image of an aurora observed on Jupiter, which could have a similar composition to SIMP 0136. PHOTOGRAPH: NASA/ESA/J. NICHOLS (UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER); ACKNOWLEDGMENT: A. SIMON (NASA/GSFC)/THE OPAL TEAM In addition, the infrared light shown by the blue lines in the figure above comes from a high layer of SIMP 0136's atmosphere, far above its cloud layers. It is thought that the brightness of SIMP 0136, caused by these differences in infrared radiation, changes as it rotates because the temperature, like the cloud composition, varies from place to place on the planet. In addition, the researchers noticed hot spots where the planet's infrared light was particularly bright. They believe that these may be caused by auroras, the existence of which has already been confirmed by radio wave observations. However, it is difficult to explain all the changes in infrared brightness just by cloud and temperature variations. For this reason, the research team points out that there may be areas in SIMP 0136's atmosphere where carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are concentrated, and that these areas may also affect the infrared brightness as the planet rotates. This story originally appeared on WIRED Japan and has been translated from Japanese.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Huh? James Webb telescope spots 'rogue' planet with cake-like atmosphere
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers have generated the first-ever weather report of a rogue exoplanet-like object — and it shows patches of clouds and carbon chemicals, along with high-altitude auroras. The findings, published March 3 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, also revealed that the celestial object possesses a complex, layered atmosphere. Earth's atmosphere is a blanket of gases, primarily nitrogen and oxygen. But other planets in the solar system have very different atmospheres. For example, Venus' air is much thicker than Earth's and is vitriolic: it's made of sulfuric acid. This diversity of atmospheres has also been observed in planets beyond our cosmic neighborhood: Some exoplanets have water vapor-soaked atmospheres, while others host superheated clouds of sand. Now, researchers have pointed JWST at a mysterious object called SIMP 0136+0933 to learn more about its atmosphere. This object's identity is still nebulous, said study lead author Allison McCarthy, a graduate student in Boston University's astronomy department. "[I]t's not a planet in the traditional sense — since it doesn't orbit a star," she told Live Science in an email. However, "it also has a lower mass than a typical brown dwarf [a so-called 'failed star']," she added. Related: 32 alien planets that really exist SIMP 0136+0933 has a 2.4-hour-long day and is located in the Carina Nebula 20 light-years away. Because it is the brightest free-floating planetary-mass object in the Northern Hemisphere and is far from stars that could obfuscate observations, it has been directly photographed by telescopes like NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. These observations revealed that SIMP 0136+0933 has an unusually variable atmosphere, with fluctuations in the electromagnetic spectrum's infrared region (which humans would perceive as heat). But the physical phenomena causing this variability were still unknown. To unravel these processes, McCarthy and colleagues used JWST's Near-Infrared Spectrograph to measure the intensity of the short-wave radiation SIMP 0136+0933 emitted. They collected about 6,000 such datasets over nearly three hours on July 23, 2023, sampling data from the whole object. Then, over the next three hours, they repeated the process for longer wavelengths, using the space telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument. The researchers then created light curves to show how the infrared radiation's "brightness" (or intensity) changed over time. These curves revealed that different wavelengths behaved differently. At any one point, some brightened, others dimmed and others didn't change. Despite this, the researchers found the light curves formed three clusters, each with a specific — albeit somewhat variable — shape. The similar light-curve shapes suggested that similar atmospheric mechanisms were causing them. To determine these, the researchers built models of SIMP 0136+0933's atmosphere. This enabled them to infer that the first wavelength cluster originated from a low-lying layer of iron clouds, with the second cluster coming from higher-lying clouds of forsterite, a magnesium mineral. The cloud layers were also probably patchy, which could have caused some of the variability in the wavelength clusters' curves. But clouds couldn't explain the third wavelength cluster, which seemed to originate high above them. Instead, the researchers believe this radiation came from "hotspots," or hot pockets of the atmosphere that may originate from radio auroras. These radio auroras resemble Earth's northern lights, but they're in the radio-wavelength range. RELATED STORIES —Surprise discovery in alien planet's atmosphere could upend decades of planet formation theory —Exoplanet with iron rain has violent winds 'like something out of science fiction' —Nearby exoplanet has grown a tail 44 times longer than Earth — and it is acting like a giant 'stellar windsock' Yet even these models couldn't explain all of the observations, like why the first cluster's curves had such diverse shapes. The researchers proposed that clumps of carbon-based chemicals, such as carbon monoxide, in the atmosphere may have been responsible, absorbing radiation at some wavelengths at certain times. "While these variability mechanisms had been hypothesized, this was the first time we observed them directly in SIMP 0136's atmosphere," McCarthy said. But a few hours of observations aren't enough to understand SIMP 0136+0933's atmosphere in the long term. For that, the researchers will need to study the object over several days, possibly with NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is expected to launch in 2027.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mysterious cosmic body is a rogue ‘Super-Jupiter'
A phantom 'Super-Jupiter' 13 times more massive than our solar system's gas giant is drifting through the cosmos around 20 light-years from Earth. Although discovered in 2006, the 'free-floating planetary-mass object' known as SIMP 0136 has continued to stump astronomers for nearly two decades—is it a rogue planet, failed star, or something else entirely? Thanks to an international team's recent work utilizing NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), newly recorded details are helping clarify the nature of SIMP 0136. The results, published on March 3 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, depict a complicated cosmic body that continues to expand our understanding of the universe. First detected nearly 20 years ago, SIMP J013656.5+093347 (SIMP 0136, for short) appears to be a rapidly rotating, planet-sized object situated in the Pisces constellation. It's relatively isolated in the northern sky, and is the region's brightest entity of its kind. Taken altogether, SIMP 0136 offers astronomers one of the best options for exo-meteorological study. Previous examinations using ground-based tools as well as the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes indicated SIMP 0136 was potentially a brown dwarf—a cosmic body with the makings of a star that nonetheless fails to gather enough mass to initiate nuclear fusion. Unique characteristics, however, kept astronomers perplexed: its fluctuating brightness suggested the existence of complex atmospheric conditions beyond just clouds. The more they learned about SIMP 0136, the more it appeared to be an exoplanet, albeit one lacking a star to orbit. 'We already knew that it varies in brightness, and we were confident that there are patchy cloud layers that rotate in and out of view and evolve over time,' Boston University researcher Allison McCarthy explained in a statement on March 3. 'We also thought there could be temperature variations, chemical reactions, and possibly some effects of auroral activity affecting the brightness, but we weren't sure.' To try solving some of these mysteries, McCarthy and colleagues recently trained the JWST on SIMP 0136 for two full rotations, then gathered data using the telescope's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). The results generated hundreds of wavelength measurements across the infrared light spectrum that McCarthy's team could analyze for changes over the course of its speedy rotation. 'Until now, we only had a little slice of the near-infrared spectrum from Hubble, and a few brightness measurements from Spitzer,' principal investigator and Trinity College Dublin researcher Johanna Vos added. 'To see the full spectrum of this object change over the course of minutes was incredible.' The team noticed SIMP 0136 exhibited several distinct light-curve shapes simultaneously. As some wavelengths grew in brightness, others dimmed or remained relatively stable. This implied that multiple influences trigger the variations. Co-author Philip Muirhead from Boston University likened the observations to examining Earth from very far away. 'Blue would increase as oceans rotate into view. Changes in brown and green would tell you something about soil and vegetation,' he said. Additional atmospheric modeling helped the team next assess the likely depth origins of each light wavelength, which could further clarify SIMP 0136's details. One wavelength group located deep in the atmosphere suggests patchy clouds composed of iron particles, while higher clouds potentially contain silicate minerals. A third wavelength cluster, however, seems to exist at an extremely high altitude and correspond to temperature hot spots. Experts believe these could come from previously observed auroras, or potentially plumes of hot gas rising from deeper in the atmosphere. Not all of the light curves can be explained just yet, and don't relate to clouds or temperature. Researchers believe these likely depict differences in atmospheric carbon chemistry, such as pockets of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Vos admitted they 'haven't really figured out the chemistry part of the puzzle yet,' but remains excited by the latest round of discoveries. The data also underscores the diversity of exoplanets like SIMP 0136. 'If we are looking at an exoplanet and can get only one measurement, we need to consider that it might not be representative of the entire planet,' said Vos.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
James Webb Space Telescope Spots Mysterious, Free-Floating Mass
The James Webb Space Telescope is helping scientists study a strange mass about 20 light-years from Earth. Traveling unpredictably through the cosmos, the mass is thought to be either a rogue planet or a "failed star," also known as a brown dwarf. Only a close examination of the body's atmosphere will determine which it is. Astronomers first found SIMP 0136 back in 2003 using Sondage Infrarouge de Mouvement Propre (SIMP), a French term that translates to "infrared proper motion survey." This technique uses two telescopes on opposite hemispheres to capture the movement of a cosmic body in infrared. Strangely, SIMP 0136 appeared to be traveling freely and without a central star around which it could orbit. It also spun very quickly, despite being roughly the same size as Jupiter, making a single SIMP 0136 day only 2.4 hours on Earth. This led astronomers to believe SIMP 0136 was a rogue planet, or a planet that floats freely through space. But there's a chance the mysterious mass could be something else entirely. Brown dwarfs, otherwise known as failed stars, are the result of gas clouds that have collapsed without gaining enough mass to initiate nuclear fusion—an essential step required to become a "true" star. Brown dwarfs have a minimum mass of 13 Jupiter masses (MJ) and SIMP 0136 has 12.7. SIMP 0136 also emits very little light, though these emissions seem to fluctuate, causing astronomers to be unsure about whether it fits within the brown dwarf category. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Webb could help nail down SIMP 0136's classification once and for all. In a paper published Monday in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, researchers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom share their initial findings from Webb observations over two SIMP 0136 rotations. During those rotations, Webb's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) examined the body's atmosphere in a wide range of infrared wavelengths, revealing a highly detailed map of SIMP 0136's changes in brightness. The team used atmospheric models to determine which circumstances might cause the body's light emissions to fluctuate in such a way. From one part of the body, a particular band of infrared light seemed to emanate from deep within the atmosphere; the astronomers think iron particles could be to blame. Emissions within another wavelength are meanwhile thought to come from the upper atmosphere, where clusters of silicates could linger. Still other, brighter patches of light could constitute SIMP 0136's very own version of an aurora. The jury is still out on whether SIMP 0136 is a rogue planet or a failed star, but these initial Webb findings bring astronomers a bit closer to categorizing the celestial oddball. "We haven't really figured out the chemistry part of the puzzle yet," Johanna Vos, the study's principal investigator, told NASA. "But these results are really exciting because they are showing us that the abundances of molecules like methane and carbon dioxide could change from place to place and over time. If we are looking at an exoplanet and can get only one measurement, we need to consider that it might not be representative of the entire planet."
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
James Webb Spots Mysterious Object Crossing Space Between Stars
NASA's groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope has spotted a mysterious object that's freely floating through interstellar space. According to NASA, the "planetary-mass" object, dubbed SIMP 0136, is roughly 13 times the mass of Jupiter, and is located just 20 light-years from Earth. It's also spinning at a breakneck speed, completing a full rotation every 2.4 hours. Thanks to the JWST's detailed infrared light observations, an international team of researchers detected signs of "complex atmospheric features," including possible cloud layers and temperature shifts in the object's atmosphere, as detailed in a study they published in the journal The Astrophysical Journal Letters. It's a fascinating glimpse at an exceedingly rare object. The researchers suggest in their paper that objects like SIMP 0136 could much in common with cloud giants in the solar system, like Jupiter and Saturn, which "also have multiple cloud layers and high-altitude hot spots" (except that it's floating through space without a star, that is.) Astronomers also aren't ruling out the possibility that it's a brown dwarf, an object that's between a planet and a star. The latest research builds on existing observations by NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. "We already knew that it varies in brightness, and we were confident that there are patchy cloud layers that rotate in and out of view and evolve over time," said lead author and Boston University doctoral student Allison McCarthy in a NASA statement. "We also thought there could be temperature variations, chemical reactions, and possibly some effects of auroral activity affecting the brightness, but we weren't sure." James Webb's Near-Infrared Spectrograph allowed scientists to observe a much wider spectrum of infrared light, leading to fascinating new insights into the lonely object. "Until now, we only had a little slice of the near-infrared spectrum from Hubble, and a few brightness measurements from Spitzer," said principal investigator and Trinity College Dublin assistant professor Johanna Vos in the statement. The researchers ran hundreds of detailed light curves against atmospheric models to get a better sense of what SIMP 0136's atmosphere might look like. They found evidence for patchy clouds and bright "hot spots," possibly related to auroras, far above the clouds. "Imagine watching Earth from far away," Boston University scientist and coauthor Philip Muirhead said in a statement. "If you were to look at each color separately, you would see different patterns that tell you something about its surface and atmosphere, even if you couldn't make out the individual features." "Blue would increase as oceans rotate into view," he added. "Changes in brown and green would tell you something about soil and vegetation." Other light curves observed by the JWST suggest the existence of pockets of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide — but plenty of questions remain. "We haven't really figured out the chemistry part of the puzzle yet," Vos said. "But these results are really exciting because they are showing us that the abundances of molecules like methane and carbon dioxide could change from place to place and over time." "If we are looking at an exoplanet and can get only one measurement, we need to consider that it might not be representative of the entire planet," she added. More on brown dwarfs: Astronomers Discover Brown Dwarf Covered in Stripes
