Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered new insights into exoplanet HATS-75 b, including atmospheric composition and challenges caused by its host star.

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• Scientists observed HATS-75 b, a giant planet located about 637 light-years away, orbiting a low-mass M-dwarf star using advanced JWST instruments.
• The study focused on analysing the planet’s atmosphere by tracking its transit across the host star, allowing researchers to examine how starlight interacts with atmospheric gases.
• Researchers detected strong chemical signatures of methane along with carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, offering key insights into the planet’s atmospheric composition.
• Water presence remains uncertain as stellar interference likely masks its signal, making it difficult for scientists to confirm water vapor despite expectations.
• The host star shows starspots and bright regions that distort observational data, creating what scientists call the Transit Light Source effect during planetary transits.
• Initial observations suggested a hazy atmosphere, but further analysis revealed that stellar contamination, rather than haze, was influencing the spectral data.
• The planet has a low-metallicity atmosphere dominated by hydrogen and helium, along with an unusually high carbon-to-oxygen ratio compared to typical gas giants.
• The findings highlight how stellar activity can complicate exoplanet studies, emphasizing the need for precise corrections when interpreting atmospheric data from distant worlds.