Tag

Planetesimals

All articles tagged with #planetesimals

space2 years ago•2 min saved

Unveiling the Secrets of Arrokoth: Insights into Solar System Formation

A new study on the trans-Neptunian object Arrokoth has revealed that its lobes are dotted with mounds, suggesting a common origin and shedding light on the formation of planetesimals in our solar system. The mounds share similar shape, size, color, and albedo, indicating that they clumped together to form the lobes. This discovery supports the streaming instability model of formation, where gentle collisions allow smaller objects to accumulate into larger ones. The findings may require a reevaluation of theories about planetesimal formation and could have implications for future missions targeting similar objects.

via Space.com|

#arrokoth #kuiper-belt #new-horizons

science2 years ago•3 min saved

Webb telescope discovers multiple celestial debris belts and hidden planets beyond our Solar System.

The James Webb Space Telescope has observed three concentric dusty rings of debris orbiting Fomalhaut, one of the brightest stars in our night sky located 25 light years from Earth. These three belts appear to be populated by objects called planetesimals, some of which are thought to join together early in a star system's history to form planets while others remain as debris like asteroids and comets. The observations offer insight into planetary beginnings and provide the fullest view to date of such structures outside our solar system.

via Reuters|

#debris-belts #fomalhaut #james-webb-space-telescope

astronomy2 years ago•13 min saved

The Origins of Earth's Water: Insights from Planetary Formation and Space Observations.

A new study suggests that the degassing of early-formed planetesimals restricted the delivery of water to Earth during its formation. The research proposes that the water content of the inner solar system was initially higher than previously thought, but the process of degassing removed much of the water from the planetesimals before they could merge to form Earth. This finding sheds light on the origin of Earth's water and the volatile content of the inner solar system.

via Nature.com|

#astronomy #earth #planet-formation