Observing exoplanets with the James webb space telescope

Abstract

The census of exoplanets has revealed an enormous variety of planets orbiting stars of all ages and spectral types: planets in orbits of less than a day to worlds in orbits over 100AU; planets with masses 10 times that of Jupiter to planets with masses less than that of Earth; searingly hot planets to temperate planets in the Habitable Zone. The challenge of the coming decade is to move from demography to physical characterization. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is poised to open a revolutionary new phase in our understanding of exoplanets with transit spectroscopy of relatively short period planets and coronagraphic imaging of ones with wide separations from their host stars. This article discusses the wide variety of exoplanet opportunities enabled by JWST's sensitivity and stability, its high angular resolution, and its suite of powerful instruments. These capabilities will advance our understanding of planet formation, brown dwarfs, and the atmospheres of young to mature planets.