Scientists Capture Planet Formation Around Young Star, Reports Nature
Astronomers have captured a rare glimpse of planet formation in progress around a young star, according to a study published in Nature.
The star, named HOPS-315, is located in the Orion constellation. Observations reveal that its scorching hot core has vaporized nearby rocky material, while the surrounding disk of gas and dust has begun to cool and condense into minerals — the essential building blocks of future planets.
“This is the first time astronomers have observed a planetary system outside our own in its earliest stages of development,” the article notes.