Are Earth-like planets common? Astronomers witness birth of a new solar system for the first time
have spotted the earliest signs of
rocky planet formation
around a young, sun-like star, which offers new clues about how planets like Earth may form across the universe. The discovery, published in Nature, shows solid materials condensing in the gas surrounding a newborn star,
HOPS-315
.
This is the first time scientists have directly observed such early building blocks of rocky planets.
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Using
NASA
's
James Webb Space Telescope
and the European Southern Observatory's ALMA network in Chile, researchers observed a gap in the gas disk around HOPS-315.
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The star, about 100,000 to 200,000 years old and located 1,370 light-years away, is in its early stages of development, similar to how our Sun once began.
Inside the gap, scientists detected
silicon monoxide gas
and silicate minerals, the same materials believed to have formed rocky planets in our solar system.
"This is the first conclusive evidence of rocky planet formation happening right now," said Melissa McClure of Leiden Observatory, who led the international research team.
Could Earth-like planets be common?
Until now, astronomers had only theorised how rocky planets begin to form. This observation shows the process may be a regular part of early star development, not unique to our solar system.
"The materials and conditions look very similar to how Earth may have formed," said co-author Merel van 't Hoff of
Purdue University
.
By studying more young stars like HOPS-315, scientists hope to find out whether
Earth-like planets
are common in the universe or rare exceptions.
What comes next?
The gas disk around HOPS-315 is massive, suggesting there could be enough material to form several planets in the future. But it's still too early to know how many will actually emerge.
For now, astronomers plan to scan the skies for other newborn stars to compare their
planetary formation stages
.
"There's a rich opportunity here to understand how worlds like ours come to be," said Fred Ciesla from the University of Chicago, who was not involved in the study.
Purdue University's Merel van 't Hoff, a co-author, is excited to discover more emerging planetary systems. By broadening their search, astronomers can identify key processes in forming Earth-like worlds.
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