Webb Telescope Detects Gas on Makemake
- * Discovery: Methane gas has been detected on the dwarf planet Makemake, located in the outer Solar system.
- In essence, the discovery of methane gas on Makemake is exciting because it suggests the dwarf planet is more dynamic and geologically active then previously thought.
Here’s a breakdown of the key facts from the provided text:
* Discovery: Methane gas has been detected on the dwarf planet Makemake, located in the outer Solar system. This makes Makemake only the second trans-Neptunian object (after Pluto) where gas has been confirmed.
* How it was discovered: The detection was made using NASA’s james Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
* What the methane suggests: The presence of methane gas suggests Makemake is not a static,inactive body. It indicates ongoing processes like a thin atmosphere, sublimation (like a comet), or even cryovolcanism (ice volcanoes).
* How the methane was identified: The methane was identified through solar-excited fluorescence – the re-emission of light after absorbing sunlight.
* Makemake’s size: Approximately 890 miles (1,430 km) in diameter, about two-thirds the size of Pluto.
* Previous observations: Earlier observations hinted at unusual thermal properties and anomalies in Makemake’s methane ice, leading to speculation about localized hot spots and outgassing.
* Future research: More observations with the James Webb space Telescope are needed to understand the source and mechanism behind the volatile activity on Makemake.
In essence, the discovery of methane gas on Makemake is exciting because it suggests the dwarf planet is more dynamic and geologically active then previously thought.