Astronomers Discover Trillions of Icy Exocomets in 74 Alien Star Systems

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A groundbreaking astronomical study has unveiled the existence of trillions of icy exocomets orbiting 74 distant star systems. This significant discovery, made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile and the Submillimeter Array (SMA) in Hawaii, highlights the presence of what researchers term "planetesimal belts," which are essential for understanding the water sources in these systems.

The belts, found at cold temperatures ranging from –418 to –238 degrees Fahrenheit, emit long-wavelength radiation detectable by ALMA and SMA. The study indicates that these belts, characterized by millimeter-sized 'pebbles' resulting from collisions among larger cometary bodies over extensive cosmic timescales, are common in planetary systems.

Notably, approximately 20% of planetary systems are believed to host these types of belts, akin to our solar system’s Kuiper Belt. The findings suggest a variety of structures among the belts, indicating diverse conditions and ages, with some newly formed while others are billions of years old.

The research, part of the REsolved ALMA and SMA Observations of Nearby Stars (REASONS) program, reveals that the number of pebbles decreases in older systems, primarily due to the depletion of larger exocomets. The study's authors also anticipate future observations using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to further investigate the structures within these belts.

The implications of this research extend to understanding the role of comets in transferring water to rocky planets, potentially supporting alien life, and the consequences of their impacts. The study was published in the January 2025 issue of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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