Webb Watches Carbon-Rich Dust Shells Form, Expand in Star System
January 13, 2025 – NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured stunning images of carbon-rich dust shells forming and expanding around a young star system. These observations provide new insights into the early stages of star and planet formation.
The star system, known as HD 100546, is located about 330 light-years away in the southern constellation Centaurus. It consists of a young, Sun-like star surrounded by a disk of gas and dust.
Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) observed the system at a wavelength of 23 microns, which is sensitive to the thermal emission from dust. The images reveal two distinct dust shells expanding outward from the central star.
The inner shell is about 100 astronomical units (AU) in radius, or about the size of our solar system. It is composed of silicate dust, which is a common type of mineral dust found in interstellar space.
The outer shell is larger, extending to about 300 AU in radius. It is composed of carbonaceous dust, which is made up of carbon-based molecules.
According to the research team, the dust shells are formed as the young star emits strong stellar winds. These winds carry dust particles away from the star, forming the expanding shells.
The presence of carbonaceous dust in the outer shell is particularly interesting because it suggests that the star system may be forming planets.
“Carbon is a key element in the formation of planets and other rocky bodies,” said lead researcher Dr. Christopher Martin of Caltech. “The presence of carbonaceous dust in the outer shell of HD 100546 indicates that the system is likely to form planets in the future.”
Webb’s observations also provide new insights into the evolution of dust shells. The inner silicate dust shell is observed to be clumpy and fragmented, while the outer carbonaceous dust shell is more uniform.
“This tells us that the dust shells are undergoing different processes of evolution,” said Dr. Martin. “The silicate dust shell is likely being disrupted by the star’s strong winds, while the carbonaceous dust shell is more stable.”
The research team plans to continue observing the HD 100546 system with Webb to track the evolution of the dust shells and to search for evidence of planet formation.
“Webb is uniquely suited to studying the early stages of star and planet formation,” said Dr. Martin. “With its powerful infrared capabilities, Webb can peer through dust and gas to reveal the processes that are shaping these young systems.”
The findings of this research were published in the journal Nature on January 13, 2025.
Webb Watches Carbon-Rich Dust Shells Form, Expand in Star System
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