Will the James Webb Space Telescope see clear images of Epsilon Eridani?

Mustafa Maaj

Epsilon Eridani, a star about 10.5 light years away, is of interest to astronomers because observations show that it’s surrounded by discs of debris, similar to what the planets and other bodies around our Sun would have formed from. By studying it, we can learn what our Solar System might have looked like in its early days. There are also indications that there may be one or more planets orbiting the star.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which launched in December 2021, isn’t a like-for-like successor to Hubble, as it will mainly operate in the infrared, whereas Hubble concentrates on visible and ultraviolet wavelengths. Infrared is useful for seeing past obscuring dust clouds and to study planets forming. The telescope should have the capability to detect Jupiter-sized planets fairly far from the star, although it won’t be able to see sharp images.

It’s not yet decided if the JWST will study Epsilon Eridani – astronomers will have to compete for telescope time. But looking at planetary systems is one of the JWST’S priorities, so it’s a likely target. In 2017, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) completed a detailed survey of the Epsilon Eridani system, confirming that it was very similar to our own Solar System. It even included an asteroid belt next to a Jovian planet.