Photo Credit: arXiv / R. Hurt/NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESO 286b
Green squares show possible locations, with the Milky Way behind.
Mysterious icy objects thousands of light years away have been identified, leaving astronomers uncertain about their nature. The discovery was made through observations spanning several years, with initial detections dating back to data collected between 2006 and 2011. Recent findings have only deepened the mystery, with researchers noting that the objects are not consistent with known celestial bodies. The structures appear to be composed of ice and gas, positioned in an outer region of the Milky Way where star formation is uncommon. Their size, composition, and location have raised questions about their origin and classification.
According to the ALMA. Despite additional findings, their exact nature remains undetermined.
As solar system, which is considered unusually small for gas clouds. Infrared analysis has shown absorption patterns consistent with young stellar objects or background stars obscured by dense clouds. However, their location far from typical star-forming regions contradicts this possibility.
Conflicting distance measurements have added to the uncertainty. One data source places one object at 6,500 light years away, while another suggests a distance of 30,000 light years. The second object is consistently measured at around 43,700 light-years away. These discrepancies have complicated efforts to classify them.
The gas surrounding both structures has been identified primarily as silicon dioxide, with traces of carbon dioxide. The ratio resembles that found in young stars, but no definitive conclusions have been drawn. Researchers anticipate that future observations using the James Webb Space Telescope may provide more clarity on their composition and origins.
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