JWST uncovers HD 80606 b: a scorching hot Jupiter baked by its star

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope observed the exoplanet HD 80606 b, a gas giant about 217 light-years away, whose highly elongated 111‑day orbit brings it extremely close to its host star and heats its atmosphere to roughly 1,100°F (600°C). Using JWST’s MIRI instrument for spectroscopy, the team tracked the planet before, during, and after closest approach, identifying chemical fingerprints such as methane and carbon dioxide and confirming how violently extreme hot Jupiters can be. The findings, building on prior Spitzer data, were presented at the American Astronomical Society meeting.