Exploring Exoplanet Formation in the Lobster Nebula: Insights from Webb Space Telescope

2023-12-05 18:27:01
To gain insight into how the cosmic environment creates different types of exoplanets, the Webb Space Telescope studied one of the protoplanetary disks in the Lobster Nebula (NGC 6357) and found that rocky planets typically found in disks of low-mass star-forming regions can also be found in The birth of a disk near a region of massive star formation is more demanding than imagined. The Lobster Nebula (NGC 6357) is a large emission nebula regarding 5,500 light-years away from Earth, which gathers a large number of young stars. The open star cluster Pismis 24 in the center of the nebula is the birthplace of some of the most massive stars in the Milky Way. Advertisement (Please continue reading this article) Massive stars are hotter and emit more ultraviolet (UV) light to illuminate the protoplanetary disk around the star-forming region, even shortening the disk’s expected lifespan from tens of millions of years to one million years. ▲ The Hubble Space Telescope photographed the open star cluster Pismis 24 located in the center of the Lobster Nebula (NGC 6357). (Source: ESA) Advertisement (Please continue reading this article) Now thanks to the Webb Space Telescope, we can start studying protoplanetary disks in regions where massive stars form, says team leader María Claudia Ramírez-Tannus at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany. In particular, what impact does ultraviolet radiation have on the formation of inner disk planets. The Webb Space Telescope’s eXtreme Ultraviolet Environments (XUE) project aims to unravel these mysteries by targeting 15 disks in three star-forming regions of the Lobster Nebula. According to the first batch of research results, the Webb Telescope Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) first locked onto a protoplanetary disk named XUE 1 located in the Pismis 24 star cluster. Because the disk is located near multiple massive stars, astronomers predict that it will be radiated by a large amount of ultraviolet radiation bombing. However, the Webb telescope still detected a variety of molecules that make up rocky planets, including water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, acetylene, etc. in the disk. The inner disk of XUE 1 is very similar to the inner disk of nearby low-mass star-forming regions. These results are very important. This is good news for rocky planets, indicating that rocky planets can form in more environments. In addition to being born from low-mass star-forming regions, they may also be born in high-mass star-forming regions. Star formation regions represent the formation environments of most planetary systems. Understanding the impact of extreme environments on planets can also allow scientists to better understand how different types of exoplanets are produced. (Source of the first picture: NASA) Join the official LINE account of “Science and Technology News” immediately to master all-round new knowledge of the technology industry at one hand!
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