Science
Astronomers confirm youngest known planet less than a million years old
NASA News reports that researchers identified exoplanet Elias 2-24 b within its host star's dust and gas disk.
The short version
- Astronomers confirmed Elias 2-24 b as the youngest known planet, measuring less than a million years old.[NASA News]
- The newly identified planet remains embedded within its natal disk of dust and gas.[NASA News]
- The discovery challenges existing planet-formation models, which already struggled to explain worlds over 5 million years old.[NASA News]
Key facts
What remains uncertain
- Current planet-formation theories struggle to account for how a planet can form in under a million years.[NASA News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.