{
  "id": 18370462,
  "title": "Software squeezes more data out of Webb Telescope for imaging exoplanets",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/software-squeezes-more-data-out-of-webb-telescope-for-imaging",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-05T19:59:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ars Technica",
    "slug": "ars-technica",
    "url": "https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/11/getting-software-to-help-block-out-a-star-so-we-can-see-exoplanets/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A groundbreaking software package has emerged to enhance the capabilities of the Webb Telescope for imaging exoplanets. Researchers are eager to delve deeper into the details of these distant worlds, either by capturing them directly or by analyzing the light that has passed through their atmospheres. However, both tasks prove to be arduous due to the overwhelming brightness of stars compared to the faint signals received from the planets.\n\nWhile telescopes can be equipped with coronagraphs to block out a significant portion of a star's light, their effectiveness is limited by the inherent noise caused by subtle variations in the telescope's configuration and pointing between observations. To overcome these challenges, researchers have devised a novel software solution that optimizes a physical model of the telescope.\n\nThe cornerstone of this innovative approach lies in the concept of a point spread function. Every time a telescope photographs a single point of light, the resulting image will not be crisp and focused but rather slightly blurred and spread out. This distortion arises from imperfections in the telescope hardware and the limitations in maintaining precise pointing during the lengthy imaging process. The mathematical description of this light distortion is known as the point spread function.\n\nBy leveraging advanced modeling techniques that account for the intricacies of the point spread function, the new software package enables researchers to generate low-noise imaging of exoplanets. This advancement paves the way for a more comprehensive understanding of the conditions and atmospheres present on these distant celestial bodies.",
  "summary": "Software optimizes a physical model of the telescope to reduce noise.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Phys.org",
        "title": "Webb Space Telescope's little red dots could hold key to first black holes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/webb-space-telescopes-little-red-dots-could-hold-key-to-first-black",
        "published": "2026-11-05T14:20:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}