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Beta Pictoris System (NIRSpec IFU Image Annotated)

An image of the Beta Pictoris system, with two exoplanets shown. The view is black. At the center of the image, there is a white star symbol, which represents light blocked from the host star. Immediately to the left of the star symbol, there is a bright orange-whitesh smudge, labeled b. To the right of the star symbol, further away, is a blurry orange smudge labeled d. There is a blue dashed circle around the entire system, labeled “size of Neptune’s orbit.”

The newly discovered third planet orbiting Beta Pictoris, Beta Pictoris d, appears in reconstructed imagery from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph). NIRSpec’s Integral Field Unit (IFU) was used to map chemical contents of the Beta Pictoris system. This allowed researchers to confirm the bright point of light, as seen in the image, was actually a planet by detecting its chemical composition. 

Modeling suggests its orbit is comparable to the region occupied by Neptune in our own solar system.

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    05:47:17.10
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    -51:03:57.23
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Pictor
  • Distance
    DistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
    About 63 light-years
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    This image is about 5 arcseconds across (97 au)

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.

    This image was created with Webb data from proposal: 12518(A. Gibbs)

  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    NIRSpec
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    29 March 2026
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    G395H
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    Beta Pictoris system
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Gas giant exoplanet
  • Release Date
    July 15, 2026
  • Science Release
    NASA’s Webb Discovers Hidden Planet in Famous Star System
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Science: Aidan Gibbs (UC San Diego), Jean-Baptiste Ruffio (UC San Diego); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

Downloads

  • Full Res (For Print), 800 × 800
    tif (1.84 MB)
  • Full Res (For Display), 800 × 800
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  • 800 × 800
    jpg (74.84 KB)

Related Images & Videos

Artist's concept of the Beta Pictoris planetary system. One edge of a smooth, dusty disk that looks like cloud wisps extends across the upper third of the image at an angle from 9 ou2019clock to 2 ou2019clock. Just below that, in the left third of the image, the star glows white and is small. Just to the left of the star there is a tiny white dot, planet Beta Pictoris c. To the right of the star, about twice the distance between Beta Pictoris c and the star is another bright dot, representing planet Beta Pictoris b. A third planet, Beta Pictoris d is larger than the other two, and appears in the right third of the illustration. The planet has subtle orange cloud bands, and the side facing the star is illuminated. Below this planet, the other wispy edge of the dusty disk that circles the star crosses the bottom right corner of the illustration below Beta Pictoris d from 4 ou2019clock to 7 ou2019clock. The black background of space is speckled with distant stars. The words "Artist's Concept" appears at the lower left corner.

Beta Pictoris System (Artist's Concept)

This artist’s concept shows the Beta Pictoris system with the discovered giant exoplanet Beta Pictoris d at the right. It has the widest orbit of the known three exoplanets within the system.

Infographic titled u201cGas Giant Exoplanet Beta Pictoris d; Atmospheric Composition.u201d The image at the left shows two exoplanets of the Beta Pictoris system. At the center, there is a white star symbol, which represents light blocked from the host star. Immediately to the left of the star symbol, there is a bright orange-whitesh smudge, labeled b. To the right of the star symbol is a blurry orange smudge labeled d. There is a white circle around this smudge with lines drawn to the spectrum at the right. The x-axis is labeled u201cWavelength of Lightu201d and extends from 4.2 to 5.2 microns. The y-axis is labeled u201cBrightness.u201d An up arrow is labeled u201cbrighter,u201d a down arrow u201cdimmer.u201d There are two jagged horizontal lines across the graph. One is white, then other is maroon (the former labeled u201cWebb datau201d, the latter labeled u201cBest fit modelu201d in the bottom left corner). A blue vertical column spanning from about 4.3 microns to 5 microns is labeled Carbon Monoxide, CO.

Beta Pictoris System (NIRSpec IFU Image and Spectrum)

Researchers used the NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) Integral Field Unit on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to map chemical contents of the Beta Pictoris system. As a result, they discovered a third planet, Beta Pictoris d, orbiting the young star.

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Details

Last Updated
Jul 15, 2026
Location
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Contact
Media

Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov

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