James Webb Telescope Finds Water Vapor in Protoplanetary Disk

 Astronomers make unprecedented discovery of water vapor in protoplanetary disk

January 26, 2024

Astronomers have made an unprecedented breakthrough in the search for water in space. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, they discovered water vapor in a protoplanetary disk, a disk of gas and dust surrounding a young star. This is the first time water vapor has been detected in such a young system, suggesting that water was a common ingredient in the early stages of planet formation.

The discovery was made by a team of astronomers led by Nestor Espinoza of the Space Telescope Science Institute. They used the Webb Telescope's Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) to observe the protoplanetary disk around the star PDS 70, which is about 370 light-years from Earth. The observations revealed the presence of water vapor in an inner region of the disk about 100 million miles from the star.

The detection of water vapor in such a young system is significant because it suggests that water was a common ingredient in the early stages of planet formation. Water is vital to life as we know it. The discovery of water vapor in PDS 70 therefore suggests that conditions for life may exist in other planetary systems as well.

The discovery also has important implications for our understanding of how planets form. Water vapor is thought to play a role in the process by which dust and gas condense to form planets. The detection of water vapor in PDS 70 suggests that this process is more common than previously thought.

The discovery of water vapor in PDS 70 is an important milestone in the search for life in space. This suggests that water was a common ingredient in the early stages of planet formation and provides further evidence that conditions for life may exist in other planetary systems.