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AsteriaStar
Interstellar molecule · H₂O

Water

One of the most abundant molecules in the universe, present as gas, as ice frozen onto dust grains, and in the disks where planets form. Tracing where water is inherited from the interstellar medium versus made in disks is central to understanding how worlds get their oceans.

Highlights

  • From interstellar ice to a planet's oceans

Across astrochemistry

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

    Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.