© University of Rochester 1996-2012
A team of University astronomers led by Dan Watson, professor of physics and astronomy, may be the first to detect what appears to be a short-lived stage in the early formation of a solar system. Using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, the team analyzed infrared light coming from an embryonic star that lies about 1,000 light years from Earth and discovered that the planet-forming disk surrounding the star was deluged with oceans of water. The discovery could offer new insights into how planetary systems form.
© University of Rochester 1996-2012