Webb Telescope Captures Unprecedented Detail of Protoplanetary Disk HH 30

The edge-on disk offers new insights into planet formation through its dynamic dust and gas structures.

HH 30, located 450 million light-years away in the Taurus Molecular Cloud, is a protoplanetary disk surrounding a newborn star.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) collaborated with Hubble and ALMA to study HH 30's dust and gas structures in multiple wavelengths.
Large dust grains were found concentrated in the disk's center, while smaller grains were more widely distributed, revealing key stages of planet formation.
Distinct features include a high-velocity gas jet, cone-shaped outflows, and a nebula reflecting light from the embedded star.
These findings highlight the dynamic environment of HH 30 and its role as a model for understanding how dust evolves into planets.