Home / Science / Astronomers Detect Rare, Young Planet in Distant Stellar Disk
Astronomers Detect Rare, Young Planet in Distant Stellar Disk
26 Aug
Summary
- Newly discovered planet WISPIT 2b is about 5 million years old, similar in size to Jupiter
- Detected by international team led by researchers at University of Galway
- Captured in infrared as planet is still glowing from formation
In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers have detected a new, young planet located approximately 430 light-years from Earth. The planet, named WISPIT 2b, is estimated to be around 5 million years old and is most likely a gas giant similar in size to Jupiter.
The remarkable find was made by an international team of researchers, co-led by scientists at the University of Galway. Using one of the world's most advanced observatories, the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile, the team was able to capture the planet in near-infrared light, revealing it is still glowing and hot from the early stages of its formation.
Interestingly, the researchers were not initially searching for a planet. Instead, they detected an "exceptionally beautiful multi-ringed dust disk" around a young star similar to our own Sun. Intrigued, they quickly requested follow-up observations and were able to confirm the presence of the new-born planet within the disk.
This discovery marks only the second time a confirmed planet has been detected at such an early evolutionary stage around a young version of a Sun-like star. The first was found in 2018 by a research team that also involved scientists from the University of Galway.
