Over ten years ago, astronomers identified a notable void between two rings surrounding the star Vega, indicating the possible existence of multiple **exoplanets**. In 2021, scientists also observed what they believed could be a signal from a gas giant, akin to **Neptune** or **Jupiter**, orbiting closely to the star. They were hopeful that the highly sensitive **James Webb Space Telescope** (JWST), upon its launch, would deliver conclusive evidence of a planet.
However, after directing both the Webb and **Hubble Space Telescopes** towards Vega, **NASA** researchers were taken aback by the findings. In contrast to their predictions, the most recent observations imply that the 1997 science fiction movie *Contact*, based on **Carl Sagan**’s book, might have been correct all along: there seems to be nothing surrounding Vega other than a cloud of debris.
“The combination of Hubble and Webb observations provides such an enhanced level of detail that they reveal entirely new insights about the Vega system that were previously unknown,” stated George Rieke, a scientist from the University of Arizona, in a **statement**.
### Vega: A Star of Fascination
Vega, found in the summer constellation of Lyra, lies approximately 25 light-years (or 150 trillion miles) away from Earth. It is classified as an A-type star, young and vigorous, rotating notably faster than the **sun**. At around 450 million years old, Vega shines 40 times brighter than the sun and emanates a brilliant blue-white light. Its swift rotation—completing a full spin every 16 hours—poses a challenge for researchers aiming to detect the gravitational influences from possible planets.
The new **study**, which will soon be published in two **papers** in *The Astrophysical Journal*, provides an in-depth examination of Vega’s debris disk, spanning 100 billion miles, which is directed towards Earth. Previously, this disk was thought to be a region where planets could be forming, akin to what existed in our solar system before the formation of planets from the material orbiting the sun.
### An Unseen, Unexpected Disk
Astronomers were stunned when **Webb and Hubble** unveiled no indications of large planets clearing out dust, a characteristic generally seen in star systems of Vega’s age, which represents only about 10 percent of the sun’s age. Typically, young stars like Vega are enveloped in dust, enhanced by the frequent collisions of **asteroids** and **comets**.
Hubble is capable of detecting particles the size of smoke, while Webb can identify grains as minute as sand. Nevertheless, neither telescope found signs of planets displacing dust, a crucial indicator in the hunt for planets. The finding of a smooth, pancake-shaped disk lacking obvious indicators of planetary activity compels scientists to reassess their understanding of Vega’s system and could yield new insights into **planet formation**.
“The Vega disk is extraordinarily smooth, almost absurdly so,” remarked Andras Gáspár, another researcher engaged in the study.
Despite this uniformity, the disk does exhibit a subtle gap far from the star, approximately twice the distance of Neptune from the sun. This implies that any potential planets within the system might be smaller than **Neptune**.
### Vega’s Role in Astronomy
Ironically, **Vega** has historically been a pivotal star in the exploration of planetary systems. It was among the first stars to suggest that other stars might harbor planets and that the material orbiting a star could provide the foundational elements for life.
“Vega continues to be exceptional,” commented Schuyler Wolff, the lead author of the study. “The structure of the Vega system is significantly different from that of our own solar system, where giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn prevent the dust from dispersing in the way it does around Vega.”
Although the quest for planets near Vega has yet to yield results, the star persists as a captivating subject for astronomers, presenting new enigmas and challenges in the exploration of planetary systems.