Illustration of a star surrounded by a protoplanetary disc NASA/JPL-Caltech
In an astronomical first, we may have directly observed a star forming at the same time as a world that orbits it, proving a long-held theory about planet formation.
Planets are thought to form in a disc of dust and gas, also known as a protoplanetary disc, surrounding a host star. Theoretical models suggest planets should begin to take shape while the host star is still growing – but until now, we have only seen active evidence of planet formation after the star itself had formed.
Looking at a system…
