Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Astronomers have discovered a newborn planet orbiting a young star. It is known that the baby planet was formed in just 3 million years, much faster than expected on a cosmic scale, while opening new insights into the process of planet formation.
Launch Reutersthis baby planet is estimated to have a mass of about 10 to 20 times the mass of Earth, is one of the youngest planets outside our solar system, called an exoplanet, and has never been discovered before.
The planet sits next to the remains of a dense disk of gas and dust surrounding its host star, called a protoplanetary disk, which provided the materials for the planet’s formation.
This planet orbits a young star that is thought to become an orange dwarf, a type of star that is smaller and cooler than the Sun. With about 70% the mass of the Sun and half the brightness, this star is in the Milky Way galaxy, about 520 light years from Earth.
As an illustration, one light year is equivalent to 5.9 trillion miles or 9.5 trillion kilometers.
“This discovery confirms that planets could be in a cohesive form within 3 million years, which was previously unclear because Earth took 10 to 20 million years to form,” said Madyson Barber, a graduate student in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and is also the lead author of a study published in the journal Nature this week, quoted from ReutersSaturday (23/11/2024).
“We don’t really know how long it takes for planets to form. We know that giant planets have to form faster than their disks disappear, because they need a lot of gas from their disks. However, disks take 5 to 10 million years to disappear. So, do planets form in 1 million years? added UNC astrophysicist and study co-author Andrew Mann.
The planet, named IRAS 04125+2902 b and TIDYE-1b, orbits its star in 8.8 days, a distance of about one-fifth the distance that separates our solar system’s innermost planet, Mercury, from the Sun. Its mass is between that of Earth, the largest rocky planet in our solar system, and Neptune, the smallest gas planet. It is less dense than Earth and has a diameter about 11 times larger. The chemical composition is unknown.
Researchers suspect the planet formed further away from its star and then migrated inward.
“Forming large planets close to stars is difficult because protoplanetary disks dissipate fastest from those closest to the star, meaning there isn’t enough material to form large planets that close that quickly,” Barber said.
The researchers detected it using the so-called “transit” method, observing the host star’s brightness decrease as the planet passes in front of it, from the perspective of observers on Earth. This was discovered by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space telescope.
“This is the youngest known transiting planet. It’s on par with the youngest known planets,” Barber said.
Exoplanets that are not detected using this method are sometimes directly photographed using a telescope. However, these exoplanets are usually very large, about 10 times larger than the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter.
Stars and planets form from clouds of interstellar gas and dust. “To form a star-planet system, a cloud of gas and dust would collapse and rotate into a flat environment, with a star at the center and a disk surrounding it. Planets would form in the disk. The disk would then dissipate starting from the inner region near star,” he continued.
Barber explained that previously researchers thought a transiting planet this young would be difficult to find because the surrounding disk would hinder observations. However, he added, the outer disk was apparently curved in an unknown way, creating a gap that allowed detection of the transit.
(luc/luc)
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A New Planet? More Babies in Space, Less Diapers on Earth!
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Well, folks, put down your protein shakes and your gym memberships because we’ve just discovered a *baby planet*! Yes, astral parents are officially adding another “little one” to their cosmic brood! This new celestial body, birthed around a young star, somehow managed to pull it off in a mere 3 million years! Talk about being in a hurry! I mean, I can’t even decide on what to have for breakfast in that time.
Newbie Alert: Meet Our Cosmic Bouncy Baby!
Estimated to be about 10 to 20 times the mass of Earth, this little gem is an exoplanet—one of those fancy planets that likes to hang out outside our solar system. But here’s the kicker: while we on Earth took our sweet time (you know, a casual 10 to 20 million years), this new planet is putting us to shame. Just think of it as the overachiever in the planetary kindergarten!
This planet, dubbed IRAS 04125+2902 b (seriously, who comes up with these names?), orbits its star every 8.8 days. That’s right—if you’re keeping track, that’s one-fifth the distance from Mercury to the Sun. When I say close, I mean those two are practically sharing ice cream cones!
What Comes After Baby? A Protoplanetary Disk!
Now, let’s talk about where this new planet snuck in from. It’s hanging tight next to a protoplanetary disk—a fancy term for a gas and dust cloud that’s probably more crowded than your local Starbucks during the morning rush. This disk is what gave our little planet the materials to form. It’s like cosmic confirmation that life’s essentials are being served light years away!
In a world where stars burn brightly, this particular star is an orange dwarf, cozy and less radiant than the Sun. Think of it like your uncle who dresses comfortably at family gatherings but has a heart of gold. Located a comfortable 520 light years away (a slight skip, really, if you could teleport), it’s just chilling, waiting for little IRAS to grow up and start flipping pancakes or whatever planets do in their free time.
How Did They Even Find This thing?
So how do you discover a planet this young? You’d think it was like playing hide-and-seek in the dark or something. But no, researchers employed the “transit” method—basically watching the star dim when our little buddy passes in front of it. And wouldn’t you know it, this was detected by NASA’s TESS space telescope. No pressure, TESS! Just finding a planet is all in a day’s work!
But Wait, There’s More!
They say the planet likely formed further out and moved inward—like trying to get a seat closer to the stage in a packed concert! Researchers are baffled, trying to figure out how it managed to grow that quickly. “Do planets form in one million years, or should we just give them more time?” mused UNC astrophysicist Andrew Mann. It’s a cosmic mystery, like finding your TV remote in the refrigerator!
The Bigger Picture
Cole Porter once said, “Anything goes!” and it appears that includes planets forming faster than we know! What’s on the horizon for our cosmic pals? Planet formation timelines are neck and neck with technology advancements. Who needs sleep anyway when there’s a universe to unravel?
So, as we gaze up at the stars tonight, let’s celebrate this newfound baby planet. It’s an exciting time for astronomy! And who knows, maybe one day one of us will find a very different little planet—one filled with chocolate, laughter, and questionable decisions! Stay curious, space cadets!
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– What are the factors influencing the rapid formation of planets like IRAS 04125+2902 b within just 3 million years?
0 light-years away in the Milky Way, this star has about 70% of our Sun’s mass and is half as bright—just enough to keep our new friend warm without putting it in the hot seat.
### What’s Cooking Up There?
The discovery of IRAS 04125+2902 b is like finding out that not only can planets form faster than we thought but also gives hope for more cosmic surprises. Madyson Barber, a savvy astronomer from UNC Chapel Hill, points out that this little one might have formed in merely 3 million years, a time frame that blows our expectations out of the water. It raises quite the head-scratching question: How quickly can other planets pop into existence?
Andrew Mann, Barber’s colleague, chimes in to say that since these giant planets need to form quickly before their disk of gas and dust disappears, it creates a fascinating puzzle. The race is on!
### Close Quarters and Cosmic Revelations
This baby planet is quite the rambunctious one, zipping around its star every 8.8 days—now that’s a speedy orbit! Its mass packs a punch, weighing in at 10 to 20 times that of Earth, but with a diameter that’s about 11 times larger. While we’re still scratching our heads over its chemical makeup, the speculation is that it might have journeyed from farther out in the disk, moving in closer to the star as it formed.
Despite their massive gravitational pulls, forming large planets near their stars usually poses a challenge because the available material tends to dissipate quickly. Barber explains it wonderfully, highlighting the irony of how difficult it is for big planets to form close to hot stars, which is precisely what makes our new friend so special.
### Unearthing the Mystery
Thanks to NASA’s TESS, a space telescope with a keen eye for planetary transits, this new planet was spotted as it momentarily dimmed its host star’s brightness. It’s established as the youngest known transiting planet, adding a delightful twist to the ongoing saga of planet formation.
As researchers continue to unravel the cosmic mysteries of IRAS 04125+2902 b, who knows what other stunning revelations lie in the expanses of the universe? For now, we can sit back and enjoy the show—all while Earth grapples with birthday parties and diaper duties, the universe keeps on turning and forming new lives among the stars!
