Webb observations hint at giant asteroid collision in a nearby planetary system

A collision between giant asteroids likely occurred in a neighboring star system called Beta Pictoris in recent years, and two different space observatories are helping to tell the tale. The Beta Pictoris system, located just 63 light-years from Earth, has long intrigued astronomers because of its proximity and age. While our solar system is estimated to be about 4.

” The team believes the Spitzer data hints that a pair of giant asteroids happened to collide just prior to the telescope’s observations of the system. “Beta Pictoris is at an age when planet formation in the terrestrial planet zone is still ongoing through giant asteroid collisions, so what we could be seeing here is basically how rocky planets and other bodies are forming in real time,” Chen said.

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