The James Webb Space Telescope has detected carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Pluto‘s largest moon Charon. Using the telescope astronomers have uncovered new insights into the composition of the moon with their results published in Nature Communications.
NASA‘s earlier research using the New Horizons spacecraft revealed that the Charon’s surface consists of crystalline water ice, ammonia, and other organic materials.However, due to the less light spectrum detection, the composition of the surface of the moon remained a mystery.
The recent discovery provides a better understanding of the Charon’s chemical composition and organic reactions. At the same time, hydrogen peroxide can be formed in several ways, which scientists suspected contact electrification might be responsible. These findings may prove even more valuable if the scientists can differentiate between the original materials and the material that evolved over a time period of Charon. Not only this but research also offers unique opportunities to study the fundamental processes like solar radiation.
Pluto’s moon Charon
Pluto was known as the ninth planet from the Sun but in 2006 after some similar objects were spotted in the region beyond Neptune (Kuiper Belt) it was then graded as the dwarf planet.
The discovery of Charon was made in 1978 by James Christy and Robert Harrington at the US Naval Observatory in Arizona. The moon closely resembles Pluto and has a nickname called ‘Pluto’s smaller twin’. Charon with a diameter of approximately 1200 kilometres which is half the size of Pluto making it the largest known satellite relative to the parent body of the Solar System.
The moon Charon and Pluto in distinctive orbital dance. When Charon orbits Pluto, this duo rotates around the central point resembling a double dwarf planet system. This differs with Earth-Moon where the Moon orbits Earth without affecting.
Working of James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest, most powerful and most complex space telescope ever launched. Its goal is to study the phase of the Universe, from the Big Bang utilising its capabilities.
As the universe expands, light waves stretch, transforming visible light into infrared, a phenomenon is known as redshift. Human eyes can’t see infrared light, but Webb’s advanced sensors can, that provides a glimpse of the early universe and allowing us to observe star formation through dust clouds.
Is the James Webb Space Telescope different from Hubble?
The James Webb Space Telescope orbits the Sun from one stable point relative to Earth whereas the Hubble is observed primarily in visible and ultraviolet light. The Webb is able to detect galaxies which are too distant or obscured by dust for Hubble to observe.
Also Read | China’s Manned Space Agency reveals innovative lunar spacesuit, marking a major step in China’s space exploration program