A Webb of Possibilities: An Open Source Hunt For Interstellar Life

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), with its advanced infrared capabilities, enables humanity to peer back 13.5 billion years into the early universe. Equipped with instruments such as the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) for detecting star formation and galaxy evolution, and the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) for analyzing cooler objects like planetary atmospheres and distant galaxies, JWST has opened new windows into cosmic exploration.All JWST data are stored and made publicly available through the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST). This open-source approach allows researchers worldwide to engage with cutting-edge astrophysical datasets.In this project, we focused on protoplanetary disk IRAS-04385, located 456 light-years away, using over 200 GB of publicly available JWST data from the MAST archive. Protoplanetary disks are dense, gas-and-dust-filled regions surrounding young stars, where planetary systems form and water, essential for life, can often be found.Our analysis revealed that IRAS-04385 is a promising candidate in the search for habitable worlds, contributing to the growing catalog of over 5,500 known exoplanets. Compared to the 2009 baseline study, our results demonstrate a clearer image and a broader infrared spectrum, highlighting the progress enabled by JWST.