Astronomers have confirmed the discovery of a newborn planet, Elias 2-24 b, which is less than a million years old.
Reader brief
Through the Reader lens: Astronomers have confirmed the existence of Elias 2-24 b, a planet estimated to be less than one million years old. It is roughly the size of Jupiter and orbits its parent star at a distance 55 times greater than the Earth-Sun distance. The discovery challenges current planet formation models because such a large planet formed so quickly and at such a great distance.
What to watch next
- Further study of the planet's formation process
- Re-evaluation of existing planet formation models
Sources1
All filed from IndiaNamed Chile · Elias 2-24 · Atacama Large Millimeter Array · Elias 2-24 b · European Southern Observatory · Keck Observatory · National Aeronautics and Space Administration · Very Large Telescope