The Birthplace of Planets
This illustration shows a young star surrounded by a disk of gas and dust where planets are forming. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have, for the first time, detected water and other molecules in the inner, intensely lit regions of such a disk—where rocky planets like Earth could form—even in some of the most extreme environments in our galaxy. These findings suggest that the conditions needed for rocky planets may be more common than previously thought, extending beyond small star-forming regions to also include those with massive stars.
Source: ESO/L. Calçada
Are you interested in this topic?
Researchers at the University of Zurich are studying the formation of planets in our solar system and beyond (exoplanets). The groups of Prof. Dr. Ravit Helled, Prof. Dr. Joachim Stadel, and Prof. Dr. Ben Moore at the Department of Astrophysics are studying many aspects of the planet formation process for both terrestrial (Earth-like) and giant planets. In addition, these groups are involved with various space telescope and deep space missions such as ESA's EUCLID space telescope and NASA's JUNO spacecraft.
Are you a student that wants to learn more about Jupiter and other giant planets? Consider enrolling in the following courses:
AST 241: Introduction to Astrophysics (Fall Semesters)
AST 245: Computational Astrophysics (Fall Semesters)
AST 514: Planet Formation (Spring Semesters)