About the Object


Illustration of moon-forming disc

An artistic rendering of a dust and gas disc encircling the young exoplanet, CT Cha b, 625 light-years from Earth. Spectroscopic data from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope suggest the disc contains the raw materials for moon formation. The planet appears at lower right, while its host star and surrounding protoplanetary disc are visible in the background.

[Image description: This is an illustration of a young planet with a surrounding disc of dust and gas, potentially forming moons. The planet, which appears red, is shown at lower right, enveloped by a cloudy disc. The host star appears at upper left, and glows yellow, with its own reddish disc of debris. The black background of space is speckled with stars. At the bottom of the illustration, graphics of molecules are listed in the following order: Acetylene, Carbon Dioxide, Ethane, Benzene, Hydrogen cyanide.]

Credit:

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, G. Cugno (University of Zürich, NCCR PlanetS), S. Grant (Carnegie Institution for Science), J, Olmsted (STScI), L. Hustak (STScI)

About the Image

Id: weic2521a
Type: Artwork
Release date: 29 September 2025, 16:00
Related releases: weic2521
Size: 3840 x 2160 px


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