Water plays a crucial role in the formation of stars and planets. Scientists have recently examined the water in the protostar V883 Orion, which is located 1,305 light-years away from Earth. This examination has revealed a possible connection between the water in the interstellar medium and the water in our own solar system. This discovery suggests that the water in our solar system existed long before the sun was born, billions of years ago.

John Tobin, an astronomer from the National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory and the main author of a study published in Nature, explains, “We can compare the movement of water throughout the universe to a trail. While we know where it ultimately ends up—on planets and comets—our goal is to trace its origins.”

Our understanding of this phenomenon has greatly improved. Before the efforts of astronomers, we could establish connections between Earth and comets, as well as between protostars and the interstellar medium. However, the link between protostars and comets remained elusive. The discovery of water in V883 Orion has transformed our understanding, providing evidence that “the water molecules in that system and our solar system have a similar ratio of deuterium to hydrogen.”

Margot Leemker, an astronomer from Leiden University and a co-author of the study, explains that water in the interstellar medium freezes into ice on dust grains in nebulous clouds. These clouds collapse gravitationally to form new stars, trapping the water in circumstellar disks. Over time, the icy grains merge to create new planetary systems with planets and comets. The research supports the idea that water from these clouds follows this path with little change. Therefore, studying the water in the V883 Ori disk allows us to see into the past and understand the early stages of our solar system.

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have discovered that V883 Ori reached a temperature that caused the transition from ice to gas, allowing for further examination.

To establish a connection between V883 Ori and our solar system, the research team studied its components and found consistency throughout different stages of formation – from protostar to protoplanetary disk to comets.

Merel van ‘t ‘Hoff, an astronomer from the University of Michigan and a co-author of the study, confirms, “This discovery suggests that the water found in our solar system existed before the sun, planets, and comets. While the presence of water ice in the interstellar medium was already known, our findings indicate that this water was directly incorporated into the early solar system. This is fascinating because it implies that other planetary systems likely received significant amounts of water as well.”

This revelation holds great significance in understanding the origins of Earth. Tobin explains, “Until now, the history of water in our solar system has been fragmented. V883 Ori acts as the missing piece of this puzzle, providing us with a continuous timeline that traces the transfer of water from comets and protostars to the interstellar medium.”

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