James Webb Space Telescope Feed Post

Cheers! NASA's Webb Finds Ethanol, Other Icy Ingredients for Worlds

How were ingredients for life delivered to Earth? New Webb data shows icy, carbon-containing molecules around 2 baby stars that have yet to form planets. These findings tell us about how such molecules may get transported to potentially habitable worlds. This image is the spectrum from the other protostar studied, IRAS 2A. It includes the fingerprints of complex organic molecules (COMs) such as ethanol and likely acetic acid, in the solid phase. Astronomers have been puzzled over whether COMs are made in the ice or gas phase. Webb’s results suggest that the chemical reactions forming COMs take place in the ice phase, and previously detected gaseous COMs originate from sublimation (when solids change directly into gas). COMs in cold ices are thought to be easier to transport from molecular clouds to planet-forming disks than warm, gaseous molecules. These icy COMs can be incorporated into comets and asteroids, which could then collide with forming planets and deliver ingredients for life. Read more: science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/cheers-nasas-webb-finds-et... Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, W.R.M. Rocha (LEI), Leah Hustak (STScI) Image description: Graphic titled “Complex Organic Molecules Surrounding IRAS 2A Protostar” shows a graph of optical depth on the y-axis versus wavelength of light in microns on the x-axis. The x-axis ranges from 6.8 microns on the left to 8.6 microns on the right. The y-axis ranges from 0 on the top to about 0.65 on the bottom. There is a horizontal, jagged white line with several prominent valleys. Vertical bands in different colors mark different wavelength regions and are labeled with molecular names and formulas. From left to right, these are: “Ethanol and Methyl Formate” (cyan); “Formate Ion and Ethanol” (magenta); “Formate Ion and Acetaldehyde” (blue); “Cyanate Ion and Sulfur Dioxide” (green); “Methane” (orange); “Ethanol and Acetic Acid” (red); and “Formic Acid and Methyl Formate” (purple). Image & Description by NASA