Researchers have discovered that giant planets outside our Solar System may be building their own personal collections of moons. A study using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) found eight young, isolated objects in interstellar space, six of which showed signs of a dusty disk around them.
These free-floating worlds, formed around stars but ejected into space during their star system’s early years, could potentially hold onto primordial material for millions of years. The new study suggests that objects with masses comparable to those of giant planets have the potential to form miniature planetary systems, which could be scaled down versions of our own Solar System.
Although no moons were found around these free-floating worlds, researchers detected silicate grains in their dust, indicating the formation of larger crystals. This is a crucial step towards planet formation around stars. The discovery challenges the idea that planetary system formation is exclusive to star systems and may occur around lonely, starless worlds as well.
The study has been accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal and is available on arXiv.
Source: https://www.iflscience.com/solar-systems-100-times-smaller-than-ours-are-possible-thanks-to-rogue-planets-80268