Scientists witness birth of new solar system
In a landmark achievement for space science, astronomers have observed the earliest known stages of a solar system’s formation, offering an unprecedented view into the universe’s developmental past.
The discovery centres on a young protostar, HOPS-315, located some 1,300 light-years away in the Orion B molecular cloud—a region famed for producing stars and planetary systems, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.
Using two of the most advanced observatories available—the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimeter Array (ALMA)—researchers detected the initial condensation of solid particles from gas surrounding HOPS-315. This marks the very beginning of planet formation, a process thought to mirror the early evolution of our own solar system over 4.5 billion years ago.
The findings reveal that solid silicate minerals, such as forsterite and enstatite, are forming in a zone comparable to the asteroid belt in our solar system. These minerals, commonly found in meteorites on Earth, are believed to be the foundational components from which planets eventually emerge. Their presence suggests that high-temperature conditions play a critical role in shaping the earliest phases of planetary development.
Key to this discovery is the identification of a so-called "thermostat region" around HOPS-315, where heat and pressure combine to enable the vaporisation and recondensation of minerals. This delicate balance leads to the formation of crystalline structures within the star's protoplanetary disk. By studying these phenomena, scientists aim to refine existing models of solar system formation and better understand how planetary bodies evolve under different cosmic conditions.
The success of this observation is attributed to the cutting-edge capabilities of JWST and ALMA, which allowed astronomers to penetrate the dense gas cloud surrounding the protostar. Detailed imaging and spectroscopic data made it possible to trace the chemical composition and spatial distribution of materials in the disk. These insights are instrumental in decoding the physical conditions that give rise to planets.
Beyond its scientific value, the discovery of planet formation around HOPS-315 is a window into the ancient processes that have shaped countless star systems across the galaxy. It brings us one step closer to answering fundamental questions about the origins of planetary systems, including our own, and highlights the technological strides that now allow humanity to observe such distant cosmic phenomena in extraordinary detail.
By Vugar Khalilov