James Webb’s telescope discovered planet-like objects in the Orion constellation
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Scientists have discovered planet-like objects “floating” in the Orion Nebula in new images from the James Webb Telescope.
Scientists claim that they are not subject to the traditional definition of planets, reports The Guardian.
They were called double Jupiter mass objects, or “JuMBO” for short. These objects are too small to be stars. At the same time, they do not revolve around the parent star, which forces researchers to change the theories of the formation of stars and planets.
Professor Mark McCaughrin, senior adviser for science and research at the European Space Agency (ESA), said the research was launched after his colleagues suggested the existence of a mysterious class of objects.
| Photo: NASA |
“We looked for these very small objects and found them: about one Jupiter mass in size, or even smaller. They’re free-floating, not attached to a star.” – he said.
The age of “Jumbo” is about 1 million years. These are babies in astronomical terms. They have about 1000°C on the surface. But without a main star, they will quickly cool down.
The researchers speculate that the Jumbos will only have habitable temperatures for a short time before they become unbelievably cold.
Because these objects are gas giants, there will be no liquid water on their surfaces, even during their temperate period.
The Orion constellation is located at a distance of 1344 light years from Earth. This is the largest region of massive star formation. In recent images, it looks like a celestial masterpiece with clouds of dust and gas, explosions and starbursts.
Clouds of dust and gas in the nebula cool and form stars, which gradually fragment and eventually collapse under the influence of their own gravity. The smallest of them have a mass of about 80 Jupiter masses. But the core is not dense enough to attract hydrogen. Smaller objects can merge through the same process, including brown dwarfs, also known as failed stars. They weigh as much as 13 Jupiter masses.
Researchers suggest that the smallest objects have between 3 and 7 Jupiter masses.
Scientists have also found a dozen planets, the mass of which is about the same as Jupiter. But they are found in binary pairs, which greatly surprises scientists.
The conclusions have not yet been reviewed.
Read also: NASA’s spacecraft successfully dropped samples from asteroid Bennu to Earth
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