Scientists use James Webb Space Telescope to make 1st 3D map of exoplanet

Astronomers have produced the first-ever three-dimensional map of a planet outside our solar system — WASP-18b — marking a major leap forward in exoplanet research.

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, researchers applied a new technique called 3D eclipse mapping, or spectroscopic eclipse mapping, to track subtle changes in various light wavelengths as WASP-18b moved behind its star. These variations allowed scientists to reconstruct temperature across latitudes, longitudes and altitudes, revealing distinct temperature zones throughout the planet's atmosphere.

"If you build a map at a wavelength that water absorbs, you'll see the water deck in the atmosphere, whereas a wavelength that water does not absorb will probe deeper," Ryan Challener, a postdoctoral associate in Cornell’s Departm