Webb image archive

Debris Disk Around Star HD 181327 (Artist's Concept)

Caption For the first time, researchers confirmed the presence of crystalline water ice in a dusty debris disk that orbits a Sun-like star, using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescop...

Date
May 14, 2025
Observatory
James Webb Space Telescope
Credit
NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI
Archive ID
01JTRMPSBJWEBXKJS2RB0NZ6BK

Caption

For the first time, researchers confirmed the presence of crystalline water ice in a dusty debris disk that orbits a Sun-like star, using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. All the frozen water detected by Webb is paired with fine dust particles throughout the disk. The majority of the water ice observed is found where it’s coldest and farthest from the star. The closer to the star the researchers looked, the less water ice they found.

Credits

Artwork

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Ralf Crawford (STScI)

Keywords

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