JWST Discovers Debris Disk Around White Dwarf, Uncovering Clues About Planetary Evolution
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is set to make a major astronomical discovery this year. Astronomers have just discovered the presence of a debris disk around a white dwarf, a type of star that is the final stage in the life cycle of stars like our Sun. This observation marks the first time that a debris disk has been seen around a white dwarf.
The discovery was made possible by the JWST’s infrared imaging capability, which allowed the astronomers to peer into the star’s dusty disk. The debris disk is believed to be composed of dust and gas that have been created by the destruction of rocky objects that once orbited the star. This indicates that the star once had planets orbiting it, and further observations with JWST could reveal more details about the planets that once existed in this system.
source: Phys.org