The Webb Space Telescope will be on the lookout for interstellar objects passing through the Solar System

In 1983 discovered the first disk of planetary debrisinfrared astronomical satellite (IRAS) around four Stars Vega, beta pectorisFomalhaut and Epsilon Eridani for the protoplanetary disk studied with ALMA through observations of Spitzer And Hubbleastronomy Infrared And the millimeter powerfully helped confirm that planetary formation is a very frequent event. Galaxy And according to those modalities, which were developed into models of the cosmology of the Solar System, in a broader framework.

However, we still do not have the least to learn because planetary scientists have a lot do not understand the processes involved in the formation of entirely accurate chemical planets. They also want to know if there was a way something special about the formation around their own planets in our Sunday, Of course, we already have signals with instruments developed by the noosphere, but we want to know more, because of the fact that we would be able to send a probe to a nearby planetary system, such as far away Despite not having been Proxima Centaurifor more information.

However, clearly detecting objects of interstellar origin 1i/’Oumuamua’in 2017, and 2i/borisovIn 2018, the situation has changed markedly, especially since the arrival of Lagrange point L2 earth-sun Telescope James Webb.

Orbital characteristics of ‘umuamua And Borisov apparently makes them Stars who were ejected from their home planetary system in the Milky Way and are certainly the tip of the population ofinterstellar objects often crossing the solar system and which are memories of the formation of a wayexoplanets somewhere else in Galaxy, Memoirs that may be talkative to exobiologists studying the possible presence of life elsewhere other than the Solar System, for example, Mars and Europe,

In this short film we tell you the story of Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov. A story that begins, for us Earthlings, at the end of August 2019, when we first saw it, but that began tens or millions of years ago, or even more… because we don’t know yet this object age is from elsewhere. © Future

Infrared radiation to read an interstellar memory

However, this is what Martin Cordiner just announced in a press release NASAprincipal investigator of a program web target of opportunity , sensitivity and power of Web now provide us with an unprecedented opportunity to study the chemical composition of these interstellar objects and learn more about their nature: where did they come from, how were they formed and what do they tell us about the conditions in their systems of origin. Can tell. ,

It clearly astronomy From Goddard Space Flight Center In Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA: ” The ability to study one of them and discover its composition – up close to see material from another planetary system – is truly an incredible thing. “, and he and his team are preparing to study in the near future with Webb in the infrared, several interstellar objects are hovering, according to a To revolve around superlative in the solar system, and which they will only see once.

2I/Borisov looked like a comet, but not 1I/’Oumuamua at all. This suggests that we are about to make fascinating discoveries about the diversity of planetary systems. Martin Cordiner and his colleagues want to know for sure and for this they will use two James-Webb instruments operating in the near and medium infrared bands, namely NIRSPC and MIRI, respectively.

According to a NASA press release, NIRSPC will be used to analyze the chemical composition of Gas which can emit these interstellar bodies near the Sun, which is capable of uncovering the spectral signature of molecules specific substances such as water, methanol, formaldehydeThe Carbon dioxideThe carbon monoxide and methane. Miri (Mid Infrared Instrument)For its part, but will receive information about the thermal processes involving particles SolidLike dust grains and even pebbles.

Interested in what you just read?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *