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Observations at infrared and millimetre wavelengths of the young protostar HOPS-315 show a gaseous disk captured at the point at which solids are first starting to condense, the t = 0 for planet formation.

The Sun’s light stable isotopes compositions can help us understand how our solar system formed. Here, the authors find that solar C is depleted relative to bulk Earth indicating that the ¹³C enrichment of the terrestrial planets is from CO self-shielding or inheritance from the parent cloud.

Methane ice has been presumed to form via the sequential hydrogenation of carbon atoms on dust grains for many years, but now Qasim et al. have performed the experiment, with and without the presence of water. Methane forms more rapidly in the polar ice phase.

The origin of water is one biggest unknowns in the field of star and planet formation: is it inherited or created in situ? Through the detection of heavy water (D₂O) in a protoplanetary disk, it is shown that this water must be older than the central star.

The hydroxyl radical OH has been detected in a planet-forming disk exposed to ultraviolet radiation and in a rovibrationally excited state. These JWST observations, when coupled with quantum calculations, reveal the ongoing photodissociation of water and its reformation in the gas phase.

Highly abundant hydrocarbons in a very low-mass star’s disk are detected using the JWST. This unique chemical composition is probably due to the destruction of carbon grains, and the resulting high gaseous C/O ratio may have a profound impact on the composition of growing exoplanets.

Using slitless spectroscopy, JWST/NIRCam has simultaneously mapped three ice species across a dense cloud along 44 lines of sight. This cospatial mapping enables the local cloud chemistry to be probed with a spatial resolution of hundreds of astronomical units, representing a step change in ice mapping.

A JWST/MIRI spectrum of an early quasar in the mid-infrared indicates that J1120+0641 had a mature feeding structure 760 Myr after the Big Bang. This finding suggests that supermassive black holes and their torii build up surprisingly quickly.

Simultaneous observations of TRAPPIST-1 b from JWST at 12.8 and 15 μm indicate that it is probably a bare rock with a mineral-rich surface. However, an alternative scenario with a CO₂-rich atmosphere and hazes could also explain the observations.

Analysis of the cool brown dwarf Gliese 229 B suggests that it is actually a close binary of two less massive brown dwarfs, explaining its low luminosity and settling the conflict between theoretical predictions and measurements.

Direct detection of gas phase water from the disk of V883 Ori indicates that disks directly inherit water from the star-forming cloud that becomes incorporated into large icy bodies without notable chemical alteration.

In combination with existing observations and detailed circumstellar models, the detection of hydrogen deuteride emission from the star TW Hydrae implies a circumstellar disk mass of more than 0.05 solar masses, which is enough to form a planetary system like our own.

 Observations with the sensitive mid-infrared spectrometer MIRI on board JWST reveal the presence of a water vapour reservoir in the terrestrial plant-forming zone of the young planetary system PDS 70.

Near-infrared imagery and spectroscopy from JWST of the Herbig-Haro 211 system, an analogue of the young Sun, reveals  supersonic jets of hot molecules that can explain the origin of the ‘green fuzzies’ phenomenon.

The XXXII IAU General Assembly, held for the first time on the African continent from 6–15 August 2024, marked a historic milestone in the global astronomy community. Driven by a bold vision, the event highlighted Africa's growing scientific capacity, and embodied the African spirit of Ubuntu, emphasizing accessibility, impact, and sustainability.

The JWST MIRI transmission spectrum of WASP-107b, a transiting planet with Neptune-like mass and Jupiter-like radius, shows observations of sulfur dioxide and silicate clouds but no methane in its atmosphere, providing evidence of disequilibrium chemistry and active photochemistry.

ALMA observations of the protoplanetary disk around HD 100546 reveal an unexpected C/O variation with azimuth. The carbon-dominated wedge of the disk can be reproduced via a model with a shadowing mechanism.

Observations from the JWST MIRI showed the detection of ¹⁴NH₃ and ¹⁵NH₃ isotopologues in the atmosphere of a cool brown dwarf, along with a ¹⁴N/¹⁵N value consistent with star-like formation by gravitational collapse.

Using JWST, the molecules seen in planetary atmospheres can be traced back to their cold origins in ices formed in dense interstellar clouds, before the onset of star formation, revealing that chemical diversity and complexity is achieved early.

Amino acid glycine is shown here to form in the laboratory at temperatures of <15 K without the need for energetic processing (such as ultraviolet irradiation or particle bombardment). The implication is that amino acids could potentially form at the very earliest stages of star formation and persist until planetary systems are established.

The size of the inner disk of the T Tauri star TW Hydrae is determined using optical long-baseline interferometric observations, indicating that hydrogen emission comes from a region approximately 3.5 stellar radii across.

Chloromethane (CH3Cl) has been observed towards a low-mass protostar and comet 67P, making it the first organohalogen detected in space. The species was previously considered to be a biomarker, but the authors suggest viable alternative abiotic formation routes.

Observations of ¹³CO in the atmosphere of a young, accreting super-Jupiter indicate a ¹³C-rich atmosphere, which is attributed to the accretion of carbon from ices enriched in ¹³C through fractionation.

Evidence for the earliest phase of planet formation, dust grain growth, has been seen in the very young and massive circumstellar disk around low-mass protostar TMC1A. Such systems, still rich in gas, are responsible for the high-mass end of the exoplanet mass distribution.

In situ measurement of O₂ in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko shows local abundances ranging from one per cent to ten per cent relative to H₂O; the spatial and temporal uniformity of the O₂/H₂O ratio suggests that primordial O₂ was incorporated into the nucleus during the comet’s formation.