Astronomers from the University of Arizona helped detect a baby planet outside of our solar system. Specialized telescopes from Arizona and Chile contributed to the discovery.
According to the findings, this marks the first time a growing planet outside of our solar system has been “embedded in a cleared gap of a multi-ringed disk of dust and gas.”
The detection also provides insight on the beginnings of our solar system. It's a bit like what Jupiter and Saturn would have looked like when they were 5,000 times younger than they are now.
“So right away, that’s an interesting looking young star. It’s got a big ring of dust and gas and then, you see this purple dot and it’s at the bottom there. That’s the planet. That’s WISPIT 2b. That’s the name of the planet," said UA astronomer Laird Close speaking on PBS’ “Arizona Horizon.”
Close says there is a possibility of finding other such planets.
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