Possible planet spotted near Alpha Centauri

James Webb sightings suggest a Saturn-size planet near Alpha Centauri A, but follow-up is needed to confirm.

JWST Spots a Potential Planet in Alpha Centauri Habitable Zone and Then Loses It

NASA James Webb Space Telescope captured a possible Saturn-size planet near Alpha Centauri A, a sun like star four light years from Earth. The signal appeared in August 2024, but did not reappear in 2025 observations. The team used the Mid Infrared Instrument with a coronagraph to block bright starlight and reveal faint companions. The scientists say the planet may have moved into the glare of the star, rendering it temporarily invisible to JWST.

If verified, the world would be the closest exoplanet in the habitable zone and the nearest directly imaged planet. The planet would orbit at about twice the Earth Sun distance, and its Saturn size mass suggests a substantial gas envelope rather than a rocky world. Because detection relies on a delicate balance of light, follow up observations are required. The researchers expect potential visibility in 2026 or 2027, with the Roman Space Telescope joining the hunt after 2027.

The potential discovery would highlight how much we still have to learn about nearby stars and the limits of our imaging technology. Direct imaging near bright, moving stars is a technical feat, and Alpha Centauri results show the need for careful analysis and independent verification before claiming a discovery.

The story marks a changing pace in exoplanet science, where new data windows and next generation instruments will decide if a claim holds up. The Roman Space Telescope will join the hunt after 2027, expanding the set of nearby targets and tests for these methods.

Highlights

Science moves forward one careful step at a time as new data arrive.