Astronomers have identified the youngest exoplanet discovered to date. This extraordinary discovery was made not through a new observation, but by re-examining data that had been in archives for years. Elias 2-24 b, which has a mass similar to Jupiter, is believed to be less than one million years old.
Located approximately 450 light-years away from Earth, the planet is still moving within the gas and dust disk where it was born. This characteristic makes Elias 2-24 b a significant opportunity for astronomers who want to directly study the process of planet formation.
Lucas Cieza from the Instituto de Estudios Astrofísicos in Chile stated that even previous youngest exoplanets were difficult to explain with existing planet formation models. He added that the discovery of Elias 2-24 b indicates that there are still missing processes in these models.
5 Million-Year Record Broken
Before Elias 2-24 b, the "youngest exoplanet" record was shared among four planets, all over 5 million years old. The newly discovered planet is less than one million years old.
This difference raises important questions about how quickly planet formation can occur. In particular, how a giant planet the size of Jupiter could emerge in such a short period is among the topics that current theories struggle to explain.
The research was conducted by a team led by Andrea Bernardi, a doctoral student at Universidad Diego Portales in Chile. Scientists re-examined archival data collected years ago by the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, focusing on the Elias 2-24 system.
Planet Found in the Gap Around the Star
The Elias 2-24 star is surrounded by a dense disk of gas and dust. Previous observations by ALMA and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) had revealed a distinct gap within this disk.
Astronomers suspected that a planet might be located within this gap. This is because forming planets can create gaps in disks by accreting surrounding material and clearing out matter in their orbits.
The team, examining archival images obtained with the coronagraph at the Keck Observatory, re-identified the suspected location. Andrea Bernardi from the research team stated that planets should be found within the gaps in disks because they create these gaps, and they found Elias 2-24 b in precisely such a region.
Coronagraph technology played a critical role in this discovery. A coronagraph blocks the intense light of a star, allowing much fainter objects around it to be observed. Researchers utilized coronagraph data from the Keck Observatory to study gas and dust disks around seven different stars. The aim was to determine whether forming planets within these disk gaps could be directly observed. The detection of Elias 2-24 b demonstrated the potential of this method for uncovering young planets.
The fact that the planet is still in its formation process offers scientists an opportunity to study the early stages of planet formation. According to astronomers, new stars and planets are constantly forming in the galaxy. However, existing telescopes are largely insufficient for observing the very earliest periods of these planets.
Roman Space Telescope Could Pave the Way for New Discoveries
Scientists expect NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to bring about a significant change in this field in the future. Launched on August 30, Roman carries one of the most advanced coronagraph systems ever sent into space.
This technology could facilitate the direct imaging of fainter planets hidden behind the brightness of their stars. Roman is especially expected to offer new opportunities for more detailed studies of exoplanets themselves and their atmospheres. Researchers note that Elias 2-24 b is at the detection limit of current telescopes, but similar discoveries could be made more easily with next-generation instruments.
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