Astronomers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have confirmed the presence of water ice in a debris disk around a Sun-like star, HD 181327, located 155 light years away. Unlike the water vapor typically detected around other stars, this water ice is similar to that found in our Solar System, potentially aiding in planet formation. The discovery is significant for understanding planetary system structures and suggests that icy materials could deliver water to terrestrial planets over time, influencing their development.
The presence of water ice helps facilitate planet formation. Icy materials may also ultimately be 'delivered' to terrestrial planets that may form over a couple hundred million years.
Webb unambiguously detected not just water ice, but water ice, which is also found in locations like Saturn's rings and icy bodies in our Solar System's crystalline Kuiper Belt.
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