NASA’s James Webb Discovers Water around a Main Belt Comet, but a Mystery is Yet to be Answered

Isaiah Richard, Tech Times 15 May 2023, 11:05 pm

The James Webb Space Telescope made another history with its powerful eyes and instruments, as it managed to discover a comet that has a formed water vapor around it, the latest significant discovery of the spacecraft. This comet is part of the main asteroid belt, and it is called a main-belt comet, which was previously thought to have no capabilities in holding said water.

Still, there is a mystery from this discovery by the researchers that are left unanswered, and further studies would help explain more of this phenomenon.

NASA James Webb Discovers Water Around Main Belt Comet

In a groundbreaking discovery, the NASA James Webb Space Telescope detected a comet with water vapor surrounding it in the main asteroid belt. The discovery was made using Webb's NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) instrument and has significant implications for our understanding of the formation and evolution of the solar system.

The presence of water ice on Comet 238P/Read, located in the main asteroid belt, indicates that water from the primordial solar system can be preserved in that region. Until now, it was believed that only comets in the Kuiper Belt, or those far from the Sun, could maintain water ice.

The detection of water on Comet 238P/Read is a significant scientific breakthrough, as it challenges previous assumptions about the distribution and preservation of water ice in our solar system.

Mystery of Water in the Universe from Webb's Findings

However, the successful detection of water on Comet 238P/Read also comes with a new puzzle. Unlike other comets, Comet 238P/Read had no detectable carbon dioxide. This finding is unexpected, as carbon dioxide is typically one of the most abundant volatile compounds found in comets.

"Our water-soaked world, teeming with life and unique in the universe as far as we know, is something of a mystery - we're not sure how all this water got here," said Webb Deputy Project scientist for planetary science and co-author of the study, Stefanie Milam.

"Understanding the history of water distribution in the solar system will help us to understand other planetary systems, and if they could be on their way to hosting an Earth-like planet," she added.

This study also holds a gateway to understanding more of the universe and soon to help understand more of its waters.

NASA James Webb's Discoveries

One of the most iconic techs behind the many discoveries of the present is from James Webb, a device powerful enough that it could see massive details on nearby objects, as well as see faraway regions in the universe.

It spotted ancient galaxies as old as the Big Bang, as well as found new things behind exoplanets, particularly with WASP 39b.

The James Webb Space Telescope, which launched in December 2021, is a powerful tool for studying the universe and unlocking discoveries. Its ability to detect water and other volatile compounds in distant comets and asteroids is crucial for our understanding of the formation and evolution of our solar system and the potential for life beyond Earth.

The discovery of water on Comet 238P/Read is just one example of the groundbreaking science that the James Webb Space Telescope is capable of, with more discoveries and answers coming soon.