Detection of Moon-Forming Disc Offers Insight into Planetary Formation

(MENAFN) NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled the first detailed chemical profile of a potential moon-forming disc surrounding a giant exoplanet, a breakthrough discovery that could offer new insights into planetary formation, scientists revealed on Monday.

The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, are the result of an international team’s use of Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument to examine CT Cha b, a young exoplanet located 625 light-years away.

"We found evidence of the disc around the companion, and we can study the chemistry for the first time," said Sierra Grant from the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C. "We’re not just witnessing moon formation – we’re also witnessing this planet’s formation."

The disc surrounding CT Cha b is rich in carbon and contains seven complex molecules, including acetylene and benzene. This starkly contrasts with the water-dominated material seen around the planet’s host star.

"We are seeing what material is accreting to build the planet and moons," said Gabriele Cugno, the lead author of the study from the University of Zurich.

Scientists hailed the discovery as an unprecedented glimpse into planetary and moon formation conditions, similar to those that led to the creation of Jupiter’s Galilean moons over 4 billion years ago. According to the European Space Agency, this marks the beginning of an era in which researchers can observe the formation of such celestial bodies.

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