Newborn Planet: Astronomers Discover Evidence of a New World Forming Around a Distant Star

A team of astronomers from PSL University, France, discovered a thick disc of dust and gas enclosing the star AB Aurigae, about 520 light-years away from Earth. They noticed a spiral structure containing a 'twist' near its center using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT), stationed in Chile.

The team believes that the 'twist' is an indicative sign that a new planet is beginning to form. The gas and dust gathering near the constellation of Auriga is the first time the development of a new star has been directly imaged.

Dr. Anthony Boccaletti from the Observatoire de Paris and the leader of the study said they had spotted thousands of exoplanets in the past but had little knowledge about how they were formed.

He added that astronomers need to observe young systems to capture the moment when planets form genuinely. The captured image is a significant breakthrough in terms of planetary science since it is the first time clear images of budding discs have been obtained.

The team used VLT's Sphere instrument to take photos of AB Aurigae, which displayed an astonishing spiral of dust caused by the infantile planet trying to 'kick' the gas. The same apparatus was used in 2018 to take photos of another baby planet thought to be just 5.4 million years old.

According to Emmanuel Di Folco, one of the co-authors from the Astrophysics Laboratory of Bordeaux (LAB) in France, this so-called kicking phenomenon causes disruptions in the disc in the form of a wave.

The luminous yellow zone near the center of the spiral is the twist, which lies at approximately the same distance from the star just as far as Neptune is from the Sun.

Anne Dutrey, also at LAB and another co-author of the study, said that the twist is expected from some theoretical models of planet formation as it corresponds to the connection of an inward and outward spiral joined at the planet's location. She adds that it allows gas and dust to aggregate into helping the new world grow and form.

The observations gathered in the study are reported in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Also Read: Astronomers Discover a "Forbidden Planet"

How are Planets Formed?

According to Khan Academy, planets are born from the puffs of gas and dust that rotate around new stars. When circumstances were just right for Earth and the other planets a billion years ago, our Solar System's elemental conditions have allowed the heavenly bodies to form.

An excellent example to look at when studying how planets are formed is the Sun. About 4.6 billion years ago, an elemental reaction occurred that triggered a pressure change in the center of the cloud that eventually formed the Sun.

Scientists speculate that perhaps it was a supernova exploding nearby, or a passing star changing the gravity. Whatever the change, NASA says that the cloud collapsed and created a disc of material which is now known as the Sun.

Discovery of Habitable Planets

According to NASA, the key to finding a habitable planet is a terrestrial surface where the water could pool. They also say that small, rocky worlds are best for finding evidence of extraterrestrial life forms.

Although the size and structure of both planets and stars are vital to habitability, NASA says that time is too. Big bright stars burn out far more hastily than their correspondents.

In 20 years of exploration, ground and space-based observations have discovered more than 3,200 confirmed exoplanets in some parts of our galaxy. Add unconfirmed planetary candidates, and the number jumps to more than 5,600.

Just earlier this year, NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite discovered its first planet having the same size as the Earth in its star's habitable zone. TOI 700 d is one of only a handful of Earth-size planets discovered in a star's habitable zone until now. Other discoveries include the TRAPPIST-1 system and other worlds detected by the Kepler Space Telescope.