Huge water presence found around newly-discovered star
Technology
Water vapour was equivalent to three times volume of all oceans on Earth
(Web Desk) - The hunt for life beyond Earth went a step further when scientists discovered water vapour in abundance in the universe.
In the latest research, the scientists focused on a gas and dust disk which was surrounding a young star. It was observed using the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA).
The star, which has been named HL Tauri, was discovered 450 light-years away and a huge amount of vapour was seen surrounding it.
The water vapour was equivalent to three times the volume of all the oceans on Earth and could be the birthplace of the planet.
Speaking about the discovery in a press release, Stefano Facchini, an astrophysicist at the University of Milan and study leader, said, “I had never imagined that we could capture an image of oceans of water vapour in the same region where a planet is likely forming."
As per the research published in Nature Astronomy, the water vapour's volume can increase the chances of the planet being habitable after its formation.
As per the scientists, the amount of water vapour present around HL Tauri appeared to have an influence over the birth of new planets. It is also likely that the conditions amid the vapour can be very similar to the conditions that were prevalent when the formation of Earth took place 4.5 billion years ago.
Speaking about his excitement at noticing the oceans of water vapour, Facchini said, “Our recent images reveal a substantial quantity of water vapour at a range of distances from the star that includes a gap where a planet could potentially be forming at the present time."
In recent times, water has been fundamental for various scientific developments. Recently, it was also found by scientists that water has been leaking slowly from the surface to the core of the Earth.
