Strange Swirls Around Infant Star Hint at Planet Formation in Real Time

Swift Summary

• Astronomers have observed potential evidence of a forming exoplanet creating spiral patterns in the protoplanetary disk around the young star HD 135344B (SAO 206462).
• The star is approximately 10 million years old and located 440 light-years away in the Scorpius OB2-3 region.
• Observations were made using the Very Large Telescope’s (VLT) Enhanced Resolution Imager and Spectrograph (ERIS) instrument, marking what could be one of the first instances of directly witnessing planet formation.
• The suspected planet is estimated to be twice as massive as Jupiter and orbits its parent star at a distance similar to Neptune’s orbit around the Sun (~30 Earth-sun distances).
• The spirals in the disk were previously identified, but this study offers stronger evidence suggesting they are caused by this hidden exoplanet.
• Researchers suggest that this infant planet gathers material from surrounding gas and dust to grow further while carving channels in its protoplanetary disk.
• Study leader francesco Maio described this discovery as perhaps watching planetary formation “in real time.”
• Research findings were published on July 21 in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Indian Opinion Analysis
This groundbreaking discovery provides new insights into how planetary systems like our solar system form, offering an unprecedented chance to observe these processes “live” with advanced instruments like ERIS. India’s growing focus on space science through missions like Aditya-L1 and Chandrayaan underscores its commitment to advancing astronomical research. While such discoveries may seem distant from immediate concerns, they feed into humanity’s broader understanding of cosmic evolution-a field where India increasingly aims for leadership roles through partnerships with international observatories or indigenous satellite initiatives. This achievement also reminds us about investing consistently in cutting-edge technology-not just for exploration but as a long-term investment in high-impact scientific breakthroughs.

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