James Webb Space Telescope Captures Neptune's Auroras for the First Time

Groundbreaking observations reveal Neptune's auroral activity, shaped by its irregular magnetic field and cooling atmosphere, with insights confirmed through Hubble data.

The James Webb Space Telescope has provided the first-ever direct images of auroras on Neptune, using its Near-Infrared Spectrograph to detect the trihydrogen cation (H3+), a key auroral indicator.
Neptune's auroras occur at mid-latitudes rather than poles due to the planet's highly tilted magnetic field, which is misaligned by 47 degrees from its rotational axis.
The planet's upper atmosphere has cooled significantly since Voyager 2's 1989 flyby, explaining why auroras had remained undetected until now.
Collaborative data from Webb and Hubble confirmed the findings, showcasing the power of combining infrared and visible light observations.
Researchers plan to study Neptune's auroras over a full solar cycle to better understand its magnetic field and atmospheric dynamics, with implications for studying other ice giants and exoplanets.

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