**Webb Telescope Uncovers New Chemical Evidence on Pluto's Largest Moon**

NASA's revolutionary Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery by identifying chemical compounds on the surface of Charon, Pluto's largest moon. For the first time, traces of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide have been detected on Charon, which is roughly half the size of Pluto.

Historically, prior research, including a significant flyby from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft in 2015, established that Charon's surface was predominantly covered by water ice. However, these earlier missions were unable to detect certain chemicals at specific infrared wavelengths, a gap now filled with the advanced capabilities of the Webb telescope.

Carly Howett, a scientist affiliated with the New Horizons mission, emphasized the importance of these new findings. "There's a lot of fingerprints of chemicals that we otherwise wouldn't get to see," she remarked, shedding light on the enhanced observational power of the Webb telescope.

Pluto, categorized as a dwarf planet, and its moons, including Charon, reside in the Kuiper Belt at the fringes of our solar system, over 3 billion miles (4.83 billion kilometers) from the sun. This realm is known for its extreme cold, making it an unlikely residence for life as we know it. Previously, ammonia and organic materials were detected on Charon's icy surface.

According to study co-author Silvia Protopapa from the Southwest Research Institute, the presence of hydrogen peroxide on Charon might result from radiation hitting water molecules on its surface. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide could reach the surface due to impacts.

The recent chemical revelations about Charon are pivotal for understanding its formation and could provide crucial insights into the composition of other distant moons and planets. The findings not only enhance our knowledge of Charon but also set a new precedent for celestial exploration in the outer solar system.