Geology Study Rocky Worlds: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has just been deliver to the space center, and it is ready for a six year mission of exploring the cosmos. Geology Study Rocky Worlds telescope will be able to analyze objects in the visible and near infrare portions of the spectrum compare with Hubble’s ability to look at ultraviolet rays opening up new possibilities for ground breaking discoveries about our universe.
What is geology?
Geology is the study of the Earth, its rocks and minerals, and the processes that have create them. It covers everything from the deep interior to the surface features of our planet. Geologists use a variety of methods to explore these topics, including drilling, mapping, and studying rock samples. Webb’s mission on STEREO A is to study rocky worlds in depth. “Rocky worlds” are planets that have solid cores surround by a thick layer of gas or dust. This makes them very different from Earth, which is mostly solid but has a thin layer of gas surrounding it. Rocky worlds can be very different in other ways too they may be much warmer or colder than Earth, or have thicker or thinner atmospheres.
Webb will take detail measurements of these worlds using both visible and infrar light. By understanding how these light waves behave under different conditions, Webb will be able to create incredibly detail pictures of these planets’ surfaces and interiors.
How does science help scientists study planets like Earth?
Scientists study planets like Earth by using a variety of methods, including observation from Earth and satellites, analysis of data obtain from probes that have flown past the planet, and computer modeling. Observation from Earth and satellites can help scientists determine the size, shape, surface features, atmosphere, and climate of a planet.
Analysis of data obtain from probes that have flown past the planet can help scientists learn about its interior structure and composition. Computer modeling can help scientists simulate how the atmosphere and other environmental features might change over time if a particular scenario were to occur on the planet.
When did the first Earth like planet form?
With the launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers are getting closer to understanding what rocky worlds like Earth may have look like billions of years ago. In preparation for its prime mission, Webb has been studying the atmospheres of nearby stars to understand how they form.
One way Webb can do this is by looking at light that was emitt when the planets were first forming. By studying these emissions, Webb can learn a lot about the composition and temperature of these early worlds. For example, one planet forming process that Webb can study is call “sublimation. Sublimation is when a gas turns into a solid by losing heat energy. It happens when something is too cold or too wet to stay in its liquid or gas form, but it’s still able to move around. When this happens, the gas molecules slowly break down into smaller and smaller pieces until they reach a point where they can no longer move around and start sticking together as a solid.
Webb will be able to see evidence of sublimation in the atmospheres of nearby stars because this process makes gases emit light in different colors depending on their composition. By watching which wavelengths of light are most affect, astronomers can learn a lot about the atmosphere and surface conditions of those stars.
How many rocky planets are in the galaxy (hint: there are a lot!)
Geology Study Rocky Worlds are an estimate 100 billion rocky planets in the Milky Way galaxy alone, and that’s just our home galaxy! Considering there are over 200 billion galaxies in the observable universe, it’s safe to say that rocky planets are a pretty common phenomenon. Webb is specifically design to study these worlds. As they offer us an unprecedent opportunity to learn more about the origins and evolution of our own Solar System.
Webb will be able to detect signatures of water on these planets. Which will give us clues about their atmospheric composition and climate. Additionally, Webb’s spectrometer can break down light into its constituent colors. Which will allow us to determine the makeup of these atmospheres. By studying rocky worlds like these, we can learn a lot about. How planetary systems form and evolve all without ever having to leave Earth!
What are the different types of rocks and minerals that make up rocks?
Rocks and minerals are made of atoms and molecules that have been combine together to form a solid. There are many different types of rocks, but all share some common features. All rocks are made of tiny pieces of minerals or rock grains. These grains are either small enough to see with. The nake eye or big enough to be seen with a microscope. When two rocks touch, their grains rub against each other, creating friction and heat. This heat melts some of the rock grains and turns them into liquid rock.
Geology Study Rocky Worlds liquid rock then flows downhill, collecting more rock grains. As it goes until it forms a solid piece of bedrock (or another type of rock). Webb’s primary research interest is in rocky worlds like Earth where there is water on the surface. On Earth, water makes rocks soft because it dissolves away the minerals that make up rocks. This process is call weathering. On rocky worlds like Webb’s home planet, Mars, there is no water so rocks are much harder. This difference in hardness creates interesting differences in the way that Webb studies these worlds!
Conclusion
Just days after launching into deep space, NASA’s Webb telescope has already uncovere some interesting findings from its observations of far off worlds. Dr. Leslie Young of the University of California at Santa Cruz and her team found. That some young, rocky planets orbiting nearby stars are showing signs of being batter by powerful forces something that could only happen during a period. When their parent star was in the process of forming. This discovery provides scientists. With an important window into how. Geology Study Rocky Worlds worlds might have form and may help them better understand how planetary systems form in general.