Astronomers have, for the first time, directly observed the formation of a planet. An international team, co-led by researchers at the University of Galway, detected WISPIT 2b, a young gas giant forming around the star WISPIT 2, approximately 430 light-years away in the constellation Aquila. Until now, gaps in protoplanetary disks were only theorised as signs of planet formation. WISPIT 2b was captured within one such gap, confirming the long-suspected process. The results were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Advanced Technology Reveals Planetary Formation
The discovery was made possible by MagAO-X, an advanced adaptive optics system on the 6.5-meter Magellan Telescope in Chile. The instrument detects hydrogen-alpha (Hα) light, emitted as the young planet accretes hydrogen gas, producing a faint red glow. Lead researcher Laird Close of the University of Arizona explained that “once we activated the adaptive optics system, the planet jumped right out at us.” The team also identified a second candidate, CC1, closer to the star and potentially nine times the mass of Jupiter. Observations were confirmed using infrared data from the Large Binocular Telescope and the SPHERE system on the Very Large Telescope in Chile.
Insights into Planetary Formation and Evolution
WISPIT 2b orbits at about 56 astronomical units (AU) from its star, roughly 3.5 billion miles, placing it far beyond Neptune’s orbit in our solar system. CC1 orbits closer, at around 14–15 AU. Graduate student Gabriel Weible compared the discovery to ‘baby pictures’ of Jupiter and Saturn, though WISPIT 2b and CC1 are around ten times more massive than our gas giants. The fleeting glow of young planets makes such observations rare, requiring precise timing and advanced instrumentation. This glimpse provides a unique opportunity to study the early stages of planetary development and the processes that shape solar systems.
The capture of WISPIT 2b represents a milestone in astronomy, offering a direct look at planet formation. As adaptive optics and imaging technology continue to improve, astronomers hope to observe more newborn planets, deepening our understanding of how planetary systems, including our own, come into existence.