Methane Gas Detected on Distant Dwarf Planet Makemake, Revealing a Surprisingly dynamic World
By Rachel Kim, World-Today-News.com – In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have detected methane gas surrounding the dwarf planet Makemake, located far beyond Neptune. This finding,made possible by the powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST),suggests that Makemake is far from a frozen relic of the solar system’s early days,but rather a surprisingly active and evolving icy world.
Makemake, roughly two-thirds the size of Pluto at approximately 890 miles (1,430 kilometers) in diameter, is one of the brightest objects in the Kuiper Belt. Until now, Pluto was the only trans-neptunian object confirmed to possess a gaseous presence. The detection of methane marks only the second time this has been observed in this remote region of our solar system.
“The Webb telescope has now revealed that methane is also present in the gas phase above the surface, a finding that makes Makemake even more interesting,” explained Silvia Protopapa, lead author of a forthcoming paper in The Astrophysical Journal Letters and a researcher at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). “It shows that Makemake is not an inactive remnant of the outer solar system, but a dynamic body where methane ice is still evolving.”
The JWST identified the methane through a distinct spectral signature – the way sunlight is re-emitted by methane molecules.Scientists are now exploring the source of this gas, considering several possibilities.
These include a tenuous atmosphere surrounding the dwarf planet, temporary releases of gas similar to those seen in comets as ices sublimate, or even cryovolcanic activity – essentially, volcanoes erupting with icy materials.
This discovery underscores the unbelievable capabilities of the JWST and it’s potential to unlock further secrets of the outer solar system. As research continues, Makemake promises to offer valuable insights into the composition and evolution of these distant, icy worlds.
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