Scientists Identify Early Planet Formation Around a Young Star
An international team of researchers has, for the first time, pinpointed the moment when planets began to form around a star other than our Sun. Using the ALMA telescope, in partnership with the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and the James Webb Space Telescope, they observed the creation of the initial particles of planet-forming material: hot minerals just beginning to solidify.
Key Players and Their Relevance
Melissa McClure, a professor at Leiden University in the Netherlands and lead author of the study published in ‘Nature,’ stated, “For the first time, we have identified the earliest moment when planet formation begins around a star different from our Sun.”
Co-author Merel van ‘t Hoff, a professor at Purdue University in the United States, likened their findings to “a baby Solar System image,” saying, “We are seeing a system that resembles how our Solar System looked when it was just beginning to form.”
The Young Star and Its Protoplanetary Disk
This newly born planetary system emerges around HOPS-315, a protostar or “baby star” located approximately 1,300 light-years away and analogous to our nascent Sun. Around these young stars, astronomers typically observe gas and dust disks known as “protoplanetary disks,” which are the birthplace of new planets.
Understanding Our Solar System’s Origins
In our Solar System, the first solid material that condensed near Earth’s current location around the Sun is trapped in ancient meteorites. Astronomers date these primordial rocks to determine when our Solar System’s formation began.
These meteorites are filled with crystalline minerals containing silicon monoxide (SiO), which can condense at the extremely high temperatures present in young planet-forming disks. Over time, these newly condensed solids join together, laying the groundwork for planet formation as they grow in size and mass.
The first kilometer-sized planetesimals in our Solar System, which eventually became planets like Earth or Jupiter’s core, formed shortly after the condensation of these crystalline minerals.
New Discoveries and Their Implications
With this new discovery, astronomers have found evidence that these hot minerals are beginning to condense in the disk surrounding HOPS-315. Their results show that SiO is present around the young star in a gaseous state, as well as within these crystalline minerals, suggesting that it is just beginning to solidify.
“This process has never been observed before in a protoplanetary disk, nor anywhere else outside our Solar System,” commented co-author Edwin Bergin, a professor at the University of Michigan in the United States.
Utilizing Advanced Telescopes
These minerals were initially identified using the James Webb Space Telescope, a joint project by NASA, ESA, and CSA. To pinpoint the exact source of the chemical signals, the team observed the system with ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array), operated by ESO alongside international partners in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
Using these data, the team determined that the chemical signals originated from a small region of the disk around the star, equivalent to the orbit of the asteroid belt around the Sun. “We are actually seeing these minerals in the same location in this extrasolar system where we see them in the asteroids of our Solar System,” added co-author Logan Francis, a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University.
A Window into Our Cosmic Past
The disk of HOPS-315 provides an excellent analog for studying our own cosmic history. It also offers astronomers a new chance to investigate early planet formation by studying newly born systems throughout the galaxy.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the significance of this discovery? This discovery marks the first time scientists have identified planet formation in its earliest stages around a star other than our Sun, providing valuable insights into the origins of planetary systems.
- Who are the key researchers involved? The main researchers include Melissa McClure from Leiden University, Merel van ‘t Hoff from Purdue University, Edwin Bergin from the University of Michigan, and Logan Francis from Leiden University.
- What telescopes were used in this study? The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the James Webb Space Telescope were used to observe HOPS-315, a young protostar.
- How does this discovery help us understand our Solar System’s formation? By studying the early stages of planet formation around HOPS-315, scientists can draw parallels to our own Solar System’s development and gain a better understanding of how planets form.
