Space Luisa Fernanda
Space, astronomy, rockets and the physics of it all.
Friday, October 16, 2026 · UTC
Missions & Exploration

JWST observes first stellar occultation by a small Solar System body

On 18 October 2022, JWST observed centaur Chariklo pass in front of a distant star - the first stellar occultation recorded from beyond Earth's orbit.

Luisa Marconi
Senior Space Correspondent
Share on X
Stands on 2 placed sources from 2 publishers.
On 18 October 2022, astronomers from the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia conducted the first successfully planned stellar occultation observation using the James Webb Space Telescope, targeting centaur 10199 Chariklo. [1]