A recent study conducted by astronomers from the University of Arizona has found no evidence of a giant planet surrounding Vega, one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Utilizing the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the team detected a debris disk around Vega, which spans approximately 160 billion kilometers in diameter and consists mainly of ice fragments and solid particles.
The researchers reported that the circumstellar disk is complete and undisturbed, indicating the absence of planets. This finding adds to the mystery surrounding Vega, located just 25 light years from Earth and 455 million years old, making it significantly younger than the Sun while being 40 times brighter.
Andras Gaspard, a member of the research team, noted, "Vega's disk is incredibly smooth," emphasizing its uniqueness compared to typical circumstellar disks found around younger stars. These disks, known as protoplanetary disks, are usually associated with the formation of planets.
Vega has a rich history in astronomical studies, being the first star other than the Sun to be photographed in 1850 and the subject of numerous observations. A 2021 study suggested the existence of a 'Hot Neptune' planet around Vega, but this claim has been contradicted by the latest research using JWST.
The smoothness of Vega's disk poses questions about the composition of its star system, suggesting it differs from our solar system. Kate Hsu, the lead author of the study published in the Astrophysical Journal, stated that this challenges existing notions about the diversity of exoplanetary systems.