"Water-Rich Discoveries: Unveiling the Secrets of Distant Solar Systems and Planet Formation"

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have detected vast amounts of water vapor in the protoplanetary disk around the young star HL Tauri, located 450 light-years away. This discovery, detailed in a study published in Nature Astronomy, also revealed a visible gap in the disk where a planet may be forming. The findings suggest the potential for a water-covered planet to develop around HL Tauri, offering insights into the prevalence of watery worlds in the cosmos.