Will Diamonds Really Rain Down Like Rain? [Reading Science]

US NASA to Reveal First James Webb Space Telescope Observations on 12th
Hints at Solving Mysteries of Uranus and Neptune
High-Temperature, High-Pressure Atmospheres May Turn Carbon into Diamonds

Uranus (left) photographed by Voyager 2 in 1986 and Neptune photographed in 1989.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] "Does it really rain diamonds on Uranus and Neptune?"

The 'eye' of humanity that will unveil the mysteries of the universe, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), has finally completed all preparations and is entering full-scale operations. Both scientists and the general public are eagerly listening for the secrets of the universe that will be revealed through JWST.

According to NASA on the 1st (local time), JWST has nearly completed the alignment of its observation equipment, including the 6.5m diameter honeycomb-shaped primary mirror, and plans to release its first observation images on the 12th. NASA officials have publicly and internally hinted that the first images to be released will be "shocking," sparking curiosity.

In this regard, NASA posted a transcript of its own talk show "Gravity Assist" on its homepage, discussing how JWST's observations could unravel the mysteries of Uranus and Neptune. Uranus and Neptune are the outermost planets in our solar system and remain shrouded in mystery. Previous observations suggest that the atmospheres of these two planets have such high heat and pressure that carbon could transform into diamonds.

Dr. Naomi Rowe-Gurney, who studies Neptune and Uranus at NASA, predicted during the talk show that such phenomena might actually be occurring in the atmospheres of these planets. She explained, "The reason these two planets appear blue is because methane exists in their atmospheres. Methane is composed of carbon, so if the pressure and temperature are sufficient, diamonds can form and accumulate, becoming heavy and falling like rain within the atmosphere."

Attention is also focused on whether JWST images can reveal the nature of the dark spots on Neptune and Uranus, which were discovered through previous observations by the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes and Voyager 2.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a phone interview on the 28th of last month, "These are the deepest images of our universe ever taken, surpassing various deep field observations by the Hubble Telescope," adding, "We are seeing things humanity has never seen before, and we are only just beginning to understand what JWST can and will do."

Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA Associate Administrator for Science, also stated, "The soon-to-be-released initial observation images will include photos that can confirm the atmospheric composition of exoplanets."