Recent observations by NASA have revealed mysterious gas jets emitted by Centaur 29P, a distant icy planetoid located between Jupiter and Neptune. This celestial body, known for its periodic gas eruptions, has garnered significant scientific interest, particularly following new findings supported by the James Webb Space Telescope.
The NASA Webb Mission Team reported that researchers chose to examine Centaur 29P due to its active nature, with eruptions occurring every six to eight weeks. Utilizing the Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), scientists identified the presence of gas jets and their components, including carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), marking the first confirmation of CO₂ on icy planetoids.
This discovery suggests that Centaur 29P may have a more complex internal structure than previously believed. Typically, gas jets are common among icy bodies in the solar system as they approach the Sun, causing subsurface ice to sublimate and release gas. However, Centaur 29P's significant distance from the Sun makes it too cold for water sublimation, indicating a unique degassing process.
The findings not only provide insights into the core composition of Centaur 29P but also offer clues about the formation and evolution of icy bodies within the solar system. The jets observed emanate from various regions of the planetoid's nucleus, suggesting it may consist of multiple bodies that merged over time.
This research represents a significant advancement in understanding objects in the outer solar system, which serve as cosmic fossils that may reveal critical information about the conditions present in the early solar system.