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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has observed the protostar EC 53 in the Serpens Nebula, providing the first conclusive evidence of how crystalline silicates—common minerals found in comets and Earth—form in space. Data from Webb’s MIRI instrument revealed that these heat-intensive crystals are forged in the hot, inner disk surrounding the young star. Powerful stellar outflows, observed in both quiet and active burst phases, are shown to propel these crystals to the system’s cold outer edges. This process explains how such materials can reach the distant regions where comets eventually form.
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