Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery, capturing the earliest known signs of rocky planet formation around a young sun-like star for the first time. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory’s ALMA array in Chile, researchers observed the gas disk surrounding the 100,000-year-old star HOPS-315.
The findings, published in the journal Nature, show a glowing system that could support up to eight planets, similar to our solar system. This discovery offers an unprecedented glimpse into what may have happened at the dawn of our own solar system. The team detected signs of silicate minerals and silicon monoxide gas condensing, which are believed to be the building blocks of rocky planets.
The research suggests that the process of planet formation might be more common than previously thought, with implications for the possibility of Earth-like worlds existing elsewhere in the universe. According to Fred Ciesla of the University of Chicago, this discovery is a “long-awaited breakthrough” that could reveal whether Earth-like planets are a universal phenomenon or a rare cosmic fluke.
The study’s findings have sparked excitement among astronomers, who hope to uncover more secrets about planet formation and its potential for producing Earth-like worlds.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/astronomers-witness-dawn-of-new-solar-system-for-1st-time/a-73341248