NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery 625 light-years from Earth. Scientists have captured the clearest image yet of a carbon-rich disk around the exoplanet CT Cha b. This fascinating structure surrounds a young planet orbiting a star that’s just 2 million years old. Experts believe this disk acts as a ‘moon factory’, where dust and gas could be merging to form brand new moons.
Unveiling Early Solar System Secrets
The carbon-rich material found in the disk gives astronomers a rare opportunity to study how moons and planets form during the infancy of a solar system. CT Cha b’s moon-forming disk could offer clues about the origins of moons like those orbiting Jupiter and Saturn in our own solar system. The discovery highlights the Webb telescope’s incredible ability to peer into distant star systems and reveal the building blocks of planetary formation.
A Glimpse Into Cosmic Evolution
By understanding how these disks evolve, scientists can better grasp the processes that shaped our cosmic neighborhood. The findings from Webb’s observations promise to deepen our knowledge about the universe’s early days and the formation of celestial bodies.
Sources:
ScienceDaily – James Webb spots a cosmic moon factory