The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning picture of HH 30, an edge-on protoplanetary disc surrounded by jets and wind. This target is located in the dark cloud LDN 1551 in the Taurus Molecular Cloud.
HH 30 is a unique laboratory for studying how dust grains settle, as it offers a clear view of these grains in action. Astronomers have used Webb to investigate the disc in great detail, combining its observations with those from Hubble and ALMA.
The study revealed that large dust grains migrate within the disc and settle in a thin layer, which is crucial for planet formation. The creation of this dense layer allows dust grains to clump together and form pebbles, eventually leading to the formation of planets.
Additionally, the Webb, Hubble, and ALMA images showed distinct structures nested within each other. A high-velocity jet emerges at a 90-degree angle from the central disc, surrounded by a wider cone-shaped outflow. This data provides insights into the dynamic nature of HH 30, where tiny dust grains and massive jets play key roles in planet formation.
The James Webb Space Telescope is an international collaboration between NASA, ESA, and CSA, working together to unlock the secrets of the universe.
Source: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Webb/Webb_investigates_a_dusty_and_dynamic_disc