A gas giant exoplanet, estimated to be just 3 million years old, has been identified by researchers as one of the youngest planets ever observed. PlanetNamed TIDYE-1b, it orbits a protostar located in the Taurus molecular cloud, about 520 light-years away. EarthScientists have described this discovery as a rare opportunity to investigate the formation of planets at an early stage. The findings, published Nov. 20 in the journal Nature, highlight the strange dynamics of this exoplanet’s environment, which also includes a tilted protoplanetary disk.
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Study Turns out TIDYE-1b is a gas giant with a slightly smaller diameter of Jupiter And about 40 percent of the mass of the largest planet in our solar system. The exoplanet orbits its host protostar every 8.8 days, a remarkable proximity for such a young planet. According to the research team led by Madison Barber, a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the discovery provides insight into the rapid formation of gas giants, which is in contrast to the slower formation of terrestrial planets like Earth, as described In a statement.
A misaligned protoplanetary disk
The exoplanet’s host star is surrounded by a protoplanetary disk inclined at an angle of about 60 degrees relative to the planet and its star. This unexpected alignment challenges current theories of planet formation. Andrew Mann, planetary scientist and co-author of the study, in a statement That said, such misalignment is unusual, as planets typically form within flat, aligned disks of gas and dust.
Possible explanations and future research
According to reports, the misalignment may be influenced by a distant companion star orbiting the protostar at about 635 astronomical units. However, the researchers note that the distance to the companion star makes its effect on the disk’s tilt uncertain. Future investigations aim to find out whether TIDYE-1b continues to collect or is losing material from the disk. Atmosphere Because of its close orbit around the protostar.
This study is an important milestone in understanding planetary formation and provides a window into the early stages of astronomical evolution.