Beyond our sky, about 25 light years away, lies the star system of Fomalhaut – a stellar wonderland full of surprises and secrets. For ages, astronomers have been captivated by Fomalhaut, and now, thanks to the remarkable James Webb Space Telescope, we’re developing a better understanding of it. In a recent study published in Nature Astronomy, a team of scientists primarily from the University of Arizona and NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory revealed that Fomalhaut is far more complex than we ever anticipated.
Scientists have known about the Belt since 1983
Surrounding the 440 million-year-old Fomalhaut is a debris field that scientists have known about since 1983. However, what they didn’t expect to discover were three separate debris belts surrounding the star. The innermost belt is comparable to our solar system’s asteroid belt but far more expansive, stretching from about seven astronomical units from the star to about 80 astronomical units out. To put those numbers in perspective, that’s about 10 times broader of an inner asteroid belt than what astronomers predicted.
But the most intriguing discovery is the second debris belt, located outside of the inner asteroid belt. This debris belt is tilted at 23 degrees from everything else in orbit of the star, a truly unique aspect of the system. According to the lead author of the study, András Gáspár, the tilted belt could be the result of planets in orbit of Fomalhaut that astronomers have yet to discover.
George Rieke, one of the astronomers involved in the study, likens the Fomalhaut system to a mystery novel. “Where are the planets?” he asks. “I think it’s not a very big leap to say there’s probably a really interesting planetary system around the star.”
The James Webb Space Telescope, launched back in 2021, is proving to be a vital tool for studying the Fomalhaut system. Its infrared sensors are providing astronomers with unprecedented detail in studying the composition and distribution of the debris fields. This telescope will enable us to delve deeper into the mysteries of Fomalhaut and potentially discover the planets responsible for the system’s peculiar debris belt structure.
The Fomalhaut system is a fascinating subject of study for those intrigued by the universe and its wonders. As we continue to explore and study this system, we may uncover even more surprises and revelations that will revolutionize our understanding of the universe. Fomalhaut is just one of many wonders waiting to be explored, and the James Webb Space Telescope is opening the door for us to explore them.
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(Via)
