Planet Formation Captured For The First Time As Astronomers Confirm WISPIT 2B

Astronomers have photographed a growing planet outside our solar system for the first time, confirming long-standing theories about planet formation. The planet, named WISPIT 2b, was discovered within a gap in a dusty, ringed disk surrounding a young star similar to the sun.

The discovery was made using advanced adaptive optics systems, including the University of Arizona's MagAO-X instrument at the Magellan Telescope in Chile, the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona, and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

For decades, astronomers have suspected that the gaps seen in many protoplanetary disks are carved out by forming planets, yet direct evidence was scarce.“Dozens of theory papers predicted this, but until now, no planet had been directly spotted in one of these gaps,” said lead researcher Laird Close, professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona.

The team detected WISPIT 2b by observing hydrogen alpha light, which glows when gas falls onto a forming planet. This process, much like a cosmic waterfall, creates intense plasma that signals ongoing planetary growth. Alongside WISPIT 2b, the researchers also found a possible inner planet, called CC1, within the disk's central cavity.

Both planets are gas giants, estimated to be far more massive than Jupiter and Saturn. WISPIT 2b orbits at about 56 astronomical units (AU) from its star-farther out than Neptune is from our sun-while CC1 is located around 14–15 AU, closer to the equivalent of Saturn's orbit.

“This is like seeing a baby picture of our solar system,” said astronomy graduate student Gabriel Weible, noting that these young planets provide a glimpse into how Jupiter and Saturn may have looked over 4.5 billion years ago.

The discovery not only confirms that planets can form within disk gaps but also provides valuable insight into the early stages of planetary systems. The team believes such research will help unravel the mysteries of how solar systems like ours take shape.

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