Los Angeles, July 25, 2023 (Xinhua) – The James Webb Space Telescope, operated by the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has discovered water vapor around a distant star in an area where rocky planets could form.
The new measurements from the telescope’s mid-infrared instrument revealed water vapor in the inner disk of the star BD+70, which is located 370 light-years away from Earth.
The star hosts an inner gas disk and an outer dust disk, separated by a gap of up to 8 billion kilometers. Inside this gap, there are two known giant gas planets.
This is the first discovery of water in the terrestrial region of a disk that is already known to host two or more protoplanets, according to NASA.
Julia Berouti, the lead author from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, said, “We have seen water in other disks, but not at such a close proximity and within a system where planets are currently forming. We were not able to make this kind of measurement before Webb.”
Thomas Henning, the director of the institute, said, “This discovery is extremely exciting because it explores the region where Earth-like rocky planets usually form.”
What is the significance of the James Webb Space Telescope’s discovery of water vapor around the star BD+70?
Los Angeles, July 25, 2023 (Xinhua) – Unveiling an extraordinary finding, the James Webb Space Telescope, operated by NASA, has made a pioneering discovery of water vapor around a faraway star that could potentially foster the birth of rocky planets.
The telescope’s mid-infrared instrument recently captured measurements that revealed the presence of water vapor within the inner disk of the star BD+70, located a staggering 370 light-years away from Earth.
Significantly, this particular star boasts an inner gas disk and an outer dust disk, with a considerable gap of up to 8 billion kilometers. Within this gap reside two colossal gas planets that have already been identified.
What makes this revelation truly groundbreaking is that it marks the first time water has been detected in the terrestrial region of a disk known to harbor two or more protoplanets, according to NASA.
Lead author Julia Berouti from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, shared her excitement, stating, “We have observed water in other disks, but never at such close proximity and within a system actively forming planets. Previously, it was impossible to make this kind of measurement before the launch of Webb.”
The institute’s director, Thomas Henning, expressed similar enthusiasm, remarking, “This discovery is incredibly thrilling because it explores the very region where Earth-like rocky planets typically come into existence.”