For the first time ever, scientists have been able to observe a planet in its beginning stages of formation. They’ve been able to capture images of dust and gas particles accumulating together which are forming another planet in another galaxy.
“This is the first time that we’ve imaged a planet that we can say is still forming.” – Stephanie Sallum, an astronomer with the University of Arizona and co-author of the study (source)
Kate Follett, a researcher from Stanford University and Sallum’s co-author, said that “no one has successfully and unambiguously detected a forming planet before. There have always been alternative explanations, but in this case we’ve taken a direct picture, and it’s hard to dispute that.” (source)
It’s quite amazing that we can take a picture of a forming planet. This one is known as LkCa15 and it is 450-light years away. Here it is:
