JWST reveals the rapid and strong day-side variability of 55 Cancri e

Context. The nature of the close-in rocky planet 55 Cnce is puzzling, despite it having been observed extensively. Its optical and infrared occultation depths show temporal variability, in addition to a phase curve variability observed in the optical. Aims. We wish to explore the possibility that the variability originates from the planet being in a 3:2 spin–orbit resonance, and thus showing different sides during occultations. We proposed and were awarded Cycle 1 time at the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to test this hypothesis. Methods. JWST/NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera) observed five occultations (secondary eclipses) of the planet – of which four were observed within a week – simultaneously at 2.1 and 4.5 µm. While the former gives band-integrated photometry, the latter provides a spectrum between 3.9–5.0 µm. Results. We find that the occultation depths in both bandpasses are highly variable and change between a non-detection (‑5 ± 6 ppm and 7 ± 9 ppm) to 96 ± 8 ppm and 119_‑19⁺³⁴ ppm at 2.1 µm and 4.5 µm, respectively. Interestingly, the variations in both bandpasses are not correlated and do not support the 3:2 spin-orbit resonance explanation. The measured brightness temperature at 4.5 µm varies between 873–2256 K and is lower than the expected day-side temperature of bare rock with no heat redistribution (2500 K), which is indicative of an atmosphere. Our atmospheric retrieval analysis of occultation depth spectra at 4.5 µm finds that different visits statistically favour various atmospheric scenarios including a thin outgassed CO/CO₂ atmosphere and a silicate rock vapour atmosphere. Some visits even support a flat line model. Conclusions. The observed variability could be explained by stochastic outgassing of CO/CO₂, which is also hinted at by retrievals. Alternatively, the variability observed at both 2.1 and 4.5 µm could be the result of a circumstellar patchy dust torus generated by volcanism on the planet.