New remarkable photographs captured by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) offer a more detailed view of a solar system than ever before. Fomalhaut, a star that is situated 25 light years away from Earth, features an impressive belt of dust that spans over 14 billion miles.
Scientists have now uncovered that two additional belts are nearer to the star, as well as a large cloud of dust. This new data hints at the possibility of planets around Fomalhaut that may support extraterrestrial life. MailOnline previously reported that scientists theorized of a planet was present around the star, but further analysis revealed it was evidence of a cosmic impact.
This image of the dusty debris disk surrounding the young star Fomalhaut is from Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). It reveals three nested belts extending out to 14 billion miles (23 billion kilometers) from the star. The inner belts – which had never been seen before – were revealed by Webb for the first time.
Basic Facts About Fomalhaut
NASA reported in a news release that scientists used the JWST to study the warm dust around a young star named Fomalhaut. They aimed to investigate the first asteroid belt ever seen outside the Solar System in infrared light. However, they were surprised to find out that the dusty structures are much more complex than the asteroid and Kuiper dust belts.
There are three nested belts encircling the star. These belts extend out to 14 billion miles from the star and are 150 times the distance of the Earth from the Sun. The innermost belts were revealed by Webb for the first time and were previously unknown to scientists.
The young hot star can be seen with the naked eye and is located in the southern constellation Piscis Austrinus. The dusty belts are debris from collisions of larger bodies, which are analogous to asteroids and comets. These are frequently described as debris disks.
The JWST has made a groundbreaking discovery by capturing images of the dust belts closest to a nascent star, unveiling never-before-seen formations not captured by other telescopes. These revelations will aid scientists in comprehending how planetary systems develop within the Milky Way galaxy.
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Fomalhaut's Great Dust Cloud
The Great Dust Cloud has been spotted by astronomers during an observation of the Fomalhaut star system. According to MailOnline's recent report, the cloud could indicate a major collision taking place in the outer ring between two protoplanets, which could suggest that planets are developing around Fomalhaut, or have existed for many years.
The Fomalhaut system has significant similarities to the Solar System, according to experts and this has allowed them to create a mental map of what a planetary system may look like if actual planet imagery could be captured.
The NIRCam, a feature of the Webb telescope, can unveil Fomalhaut's planets at a deeper level. The instrument captures images ranging from visible light to near-infrared light.
András Gáspár of the University of Arizona in Tucson and the lead author of a new paper told MailOnline that they have NIRCam data, which could be revealed soon. The expert has been studying the Fomalhaut star system and has shared his thoughts that it is a fundamental example of debris disks found throughout our galaxy.
The Great Dust Cloud discovery may help astronomers gain a deeper understanding of the Fomalhaut system and provide insight into the development or existence of planets. The NIRCam has the potential to reveal more imagery of this system and enable experts to create an even more accurate map of planetary systems in the Milky Way.
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