JWST finds planets form in harsh UV light

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has given us fresh information about how planets can form in some of the most extreme environments in our galaxy, those bathed in intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Astronomers focused on a young star named XUE 1 in the Lobster Nebula, about 5,500 light-years away, surrounded by a protoplanetary disk exposed to harsh UV light from nearby massive stars.

Despite the harsh conditions, JWST observations combined with advanced thermochemical models reveal that the essential building blocks for planet formation, dust grains, and molecules like water vapor and carbon monoxide survive in the disk.

This suggests the disk has enough material capable of forming at least 10 planets, each comparable in mass to Mercury.

How does ultraviolet radiation affect protoplanetary disks?

Ultraviolet radiation is much stronger in space than on Earth, where an atmosphere protects living beings. Around stars in dense, high-mass star-forming regions, the radiation can erode protoplanetary disks and impact their structure.

The disk around XUE 1 is compact, extending roughly 10 astronomical units, the distance from the Sun to Saturn, which scientists attribute to erosion of the disk’s outer regions by intense UV radiation.

Did you know?
The protoplanetary disk XUE 1 contains enough solid material to form at least 10 Mercury-mass planets despite extreme UV radiation.

What did JWST discover about planet-forming disk XUE 1?

JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument allowed the team to see chemical fingerprints and pinpoint the presence of molecules critical for building rocky planets.

The innermost region of the disk, where Earth-like planets could form, appears shielded from the worst of the UV radiation.

This discovery shows the resilience of protoplanetary disks, even when exposed to severe conditions previously thought to be hostile to planet formation.

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Why is the discovery important for understanding planet formation?

The findings expand the types of environments where astronomers believe planets can form. It helps explain why planetary systems are common around stars even in regions with strong radiation fields.

This breakthrough also supports ongoing efforts to understand the diversity of exoplanets and the potential for habitable worlds in different cosmic neighborhoods.

What future studies will build on this finding?

The study of XUE 1 lays the groundwork for future investigations with space- and ground-based telescopes, aiming for a more complete understanding of planet formation across various environments.

JWST’s unique capabilities continue to revolutionize astronomy by revealing details about planet formation processes in distant and challenging settings, deepening our knowledge of the cosmos.