NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Captures Rare 'Roasting' of an Exoplanet
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has observed exoplanet HD 80606 b experiencing a dramatic temperature spike of approximately 610°C (1,100°F) as it swings close to its host star on a highly eccentric orbit. Researchers presented preliminary findings at the 248th American Astronomical Society meeting in Pasadena, California in June 2026, describing the planet as an ideal target for studying hot Jupiter atmospheric dynamics.
Highlights
- NASA's JWST observed exoplanet HD 80606 b's surface temperature surge by approximately 610°C (1,100°F) during its periastron passage, exceeding predictions based on Spitzer data.
- HD 80606 b has a mass roughly four times that of Jupiter and an eccentric 111-day orbit, classifying it as one of the most extreme hot Jupiters known.
- Webb's MIRI instrument detected specific chemical signatures including methane and carbon dioxide in the exoplanet's atmosphere, marking a significant advance over previous infrared observations.
- Preliminary findings were presented at the 248th American Astronomical Society meeting in Pasadena, California in June 2026 by lead investigator Tiffany Kataria of NASA's JPL.
- Scheduling Webb's observations of HD 80606 b required years of planning due to the planet's 111-day elliptical orbit and Webb's own viewing-angle constraints relative to Earth's orbit.
One "well-done" gas giant is ready to serve — that is the conclusion researchers have drawn from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations of exoplanet HD 80606 b. With a mass roughly four times that of Jupiter and a highly eccentric orbit that periodically sweeps the planet close to its Sun-like host star, HD 80606 b has proven to be a remarkable target. Preliminary results from the study were presented at the 248th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, held in Pasadena, California in June 2026.
An Extreme Among Extremes: Hot Jupiter HD 80606 b
"Hot Jupiters are already considered among the most extreme exoplanets we know of, but even within that population, HD 80606 b stands out as one of the most extreme," said Tiffany Kataria, the study's principal investigator at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). "We typically think of hot Jupiters as hot gas giants that orbit close to their stars, but this planet's highly eccentric orbit makes it a different kind of beast entirely."
As HD 80606 b hurtled toward its host star, Webb observed its temperature surge by as much as 1,100°F (approximately 610°C). Previous research has shown that such dramatic temperature swings can cause near-instantaneous changes in an exoplanet's chemical composition and cloud structure. The research team noted that HD 80606 b's dynamic environment makes it an ideal target for observing these changes using Webb's powerful suite of instruments.
An Efficient Observational Target
"Observing a planet like HD 80606 b is actually very efficient, because its unusual orbit drives such extreme swings in temperature and chemistry that we can gather data under vastly different conditions within just a few hours — and then apply those findings to other hot Jupiters or more conventional exoplanets," said Laura C. Mayorga, an exoplanet astronomer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and co-investigator on the study.
Key Observations with Webb's MIRI Instrument
The research team used Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) for extended observations spanning the period before and after HD 80606 b's periastron passage — the point in its orbit closest to its host star. During periastron, the planet also passed behind its star from Webb's perspective, producing what astronomers call a secondary eclipse.
Because HD 80606 b has an orbital period of 111 days on a highly elliptical path, and because Webb itself has viewing constraints tied to Earth's position in its orbit around the Sun, scheduling these observations required years of planning.
Surpassing Spitzer: A New Benchmark
Researchers say they have only begun to unpack a remarkably rich dataset, but have already observed striking temperature changes in the exoplanet. "Webb shows that the planet's temperature rise is even more extreme than we expected based on Spitzer data," said Kataria.
HD 80606 b has long carried the nickname "the roaster exoplanet" and was even featured in NASA's popular exoplanet travel poster series. NASA's now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope laid the groundwork for infrared observations of HD 80606 b, making Webb's subsequent higher-resolution spectral data all the more valuable.
"Spitzer did amazing work on this exoplanet, and now Webb is continuing that legacy — allowing us to clearly identify specific chemical signatures such as methane and carbon dioxide. That is genuinely an exciting leap forward," said Ryan Challener, a researcher at Cornell University's Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science and co-author of the study. "There is so much to learn from this single dataset — we have truly only just begun to interpret everything Webb is telling us."
About the James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world's premier space science observatory. Webb is unraveling mysteries of our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
For more information about Webb, visit: science.nasa.gov/webb
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