# Physics-based processing improves Webb planet imaging sensitivity

_Published Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 1:05 PM EST · Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

Researchers report 2-15 times better sensitivity in James Webb Space Telescope planet imaging using software that models and subtracts stellar glare, according to a study published in Nature. The method recovered the first image of giant planet 51 Eridani b at 4.3 μm, where standard processing had yielded no detection.

Called FLIP, the method adjusts a physical model of the telescope and detector to compensate for instrument changes between observations. The researchers tested it on real observations from Webb's Near-Infrared Camera, using artificial planet signals to limit the risk of erasing real planets during optimization. None of the tested observations reached the fundamental photon noise limit.

## Sources

- [Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-11213-z)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/6jK66vKMACtdE9dSxX7hkP
Published: 2026-11-04T18:05:51.494Z
Story chronology: 2026-11-04T00:00:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-11-04T22:01:20.580Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)