Science
JWST Discovers Dry Ice in a Planetary Nebula
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected frozen carbon dioxide inside a planetary nebula for the first time — a cosmic first that expands our understanding of the chemical environments around dying stars.
Key Takeaways
- JWST detected dry ice (frozen CO2) inside planetary nebula NGC 6302 — the first discovery of its kind
- The finding is surprising given the intense radiation environment that normally destroys icy compounds
- Discovery adds planetary nebulae to the growing list of cosmic environments with confirmed complex icy chemistry
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