Finally! We've been waiting since November of last year to share these amazing results and beautiful images with everyone. Our Cycle 1 JWST/MIRI images of the Fomalhaut Debris Disk reveals never before seen details of the inner regions of this complex exoplanetary system!
We've been planning these observations since 2016 and I have to say, they turned out to be much better than we anticipated. JWST is remarkably sensitive. The previous MIRI image I showed is NON-CORONAGRAPHIC! Combined with the 23.0 micron coronagraphic data, this is what we see.
Both of these images highlight the new features JWST sees. Fomalhaut is a complex planetary system with an
extended asteroid-belt region (much wider than our own) and an also newly discovered intermediate belt and gap! The gap is likely produced by a smaller ice giant planet.
If you combine all JWST data with HST and ALMA images (credit Adam Block), this is what you see (with a little enhancement). The narrow ALMA ring is slightly inward of the scattered light disk. The JWST data show an extended outer halo and the inner region, only visible by JWST.
Andras Gaspar