Astronomers have discovered a methyl cation in space using the James Webb telescope. In this respect informs NASA.
Carbon compounds form the basis of all life on Earth. Astrobiologists also believe that extraterrestrial life is most likely composed of similar elements. In this context, the study of the distribution of carbon-containing materials in the universe is particularly important both for understanding the origin mechanisms of life on Earth and for assessing the possibility of the existence of extraterrestrial biological systems.
Now, astronomers using the James Webb Infrared Telescope have explored the young star system d203-506, containing the protoplanetary disk, and found CH.3+or methyl cation. This molecule supports the formation of more complex, vital compounds. The star in d203-506 is a red dwarf, but the system receives a lot of ultraviolet radiation from nearby young massive stars. Some astronomers assumed that UV radiation destroys organic molecules, and so the discovery surprised scientists. However, no traces of water were found in this system, which makes it arbitrarily less likely to find life there in the distant future.
This work also proved the telescope’s theoretical ability to detect such compounds.