The telescope detected a cold disk, colder than Earth, surrounding a young star, revealing important clues about the formation of new planets and potentially answering the question, “How did Earth form?”
Astronomer Stefano Facchini, leading the study, announced the observation of water vapor resembling oceans around a cold disk surrounding a young star for the first time. These cold disks are crucial for planet formation as they gather dust and gas clouds before planets emerge.
How did the Earth form?
The detection of water vapor in these cold disks indicates the potential presence of vast amounts of water vapor, enough to fill Earth’s oceans three times over. However, there’s also the possibility that this water vapor could distribute among planets forming in the solar system, fostering the emergence of life.
The high levels of water vapor around the young star are seen as key to the potential for life. Scientists continue to monitor the young star and the ongoing planet formation around it, suggesting the possibility of a planet formation similar to Earth’s around such cold disks.
ALMA’s location in the dry Atacama Desert helps mitigate atmospheric water vapor, allowing for clearer observations of distant celestial objects. This advantage enables ALMA to detect the water vapor surrounding the cold disk accurately.
Do you think ALMA, the world’s largest telescope, will truly find answers to the question “How did Earth form?” We await your comments.
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