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NASA discovered a planet factory that defies the idea that celestial bodies formed in less than 10 million years. The powerful James Webb Space Telescope made it possible to view a star that was encircled by a 30-million-year-old protoplanetary disk made up of gas and dust. Long before the scientists realized it, this disk resembled an active planet factory.
Another NASA discovery that challenges scientists’ preconceived notions about how and when planets form is this one. Could the creation of other celestial bodies in the cosmos be possible as a result of this? We shall see.
NASA s finding
A planet factory that has been in operation for millions of years was just discovered by NASA. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) allowed scientists to view a 30-million-year-old protoplanetary disk! Scientists were surprised since they believed that these disks had vanished within 10 million years. Thus, this finding goes against what was once thought.
Before delving into the specifics of this new discovery, let’s clarify the scientific phrase we used to refer to it: protoplanetary disks.
What are these disks?
To fully follow the tale of NASA’s discovery, let’s clarify what these disks are, as most people are unaware of them.
Imagine a young star encircled by a massive cloud of gas and dust; over time, these materials will converge to create tiny balls that will eventually grow in size. These balls will then transform into planets, moons, or asteroids.
Because they function similarly to cribs, these disks are helpful for new celestial bodies.
30 million years protoplanetary disks
Scientists thought these disks lasted only 10 million years until this discovery, but they are actually far older. The gas and dust then dissolve throughout space as a result of the star’s radiation, which is the heat and energy it generates.
But since this newly found disk is only 30 million years old, it still has the elements necessary to create planets. They now have more time to develop!
The factory location
In terms of the universe, it is not very far from Earth—267 light years. The tiny star J0446B, which is smaller than our Sun, is located in the core of the disk that was previously discussed. Scientists believe there may be other small stars with robust disks because, despite its size, its disk is plenty of material to form planets.
TRAPPIST-1 system
Three of the seven planets in this system, which is only 40 light years from Earth, are in a habitable region and may have liquid water. Because the celestial bodies in TRAPPIST-1 may have formed more slowly than typical ones, as is the case in J0446B, this discovery helps scientists comprehend how this system was produced.
More similar cases
In a nearby galaxy known as the Small Magellanic Cloud, where stars that are 20–30 million years old are still encircled by the material required to form celestial bodies, scientists have discovered other planetary disks. The fact that this galaxy has less heavy metals than Earth is remarkable.
Importance of this discovery
Scientists may be able to better comprehend our origins or whether life exists on other planets as a result of new findings about the universe. This NASA discovery allowed scientists to follow a proper theory in subsequent research by contradicting several previously accepted theories.
Who knows what researchers will discover next? Are they any closer to discovering the solution to the question of extraterrestrial life? Probably the most common question people have regarding the cosmos is this one. Do you not think so?
