NASA's Curious Universe How Webb Illuminates Stars’ Cloudy Origins
Sep 30, 2025
In this discussion, astronomer Ewine van Dishoeck, known for her work on molecules in space and developing an instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope, shares fascinating insights into star and planet formation. She explains how Webb's infrared technology reveals the chemistry of cold, dark clouds crucial for creating water and organic molecules. Ewine also highlights the significance of disk chemistries in shaping planets and the broader quest to understand life's ingredients beyond Earth, emphasizing the exciting implications of her research.
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From Chemistry Lab To Space Chemistry
- Ewine van Dishoeck shifted from theoretical chemistry to astronomy after her now-husband pointed out there was chemistry in space.
- She runs lab experiments that simulate interstellar reactions in a cubic-centimeter setup to study processes that take hundreds of thousands of years in space.
Lab Work Complements Telescope Data
- Laboratory experiments can mimic interstellar chemical reactions on human timescales despite not achieving true space vacuum.
- Comparing lab results with telescope spectra helps identify molecules and understand their behavior in clouds.
MIRI Unlocks Mid-Infrared Chemistry
- Webb's MIRI instrument observes mid-infrared light to reveal molecules hidden inside dark clouds.
- MIRI requires an onboard cryo-cooler to operate at just a few degrees above absolute zero for these observations.