Trio of infant planets discovered around newborn star

Two independent teams of astronomers have uncovered convincing evidence that three young planets are in orbit around an infant star known as HD 163296. Using a new planet-finding strategy, the astronomers identified three discrete disturbances in a young star's gas-filled disk: the strongest evidence yet that newly formed planets are in orbit there.

Over the past several years, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has transformed our understanding of protoplanetary disks—the gas- and dust-filled planet factories that encircle young stars. The rings and gaps in these disks provide intriguing circumstantial evidence for the presence of planets. Other phenomena, however, could account for these tantalizing features.

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Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF; S. Dagnello

Artist impression of protoplanets forming around a young star.

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Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO); A. Isella; B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

ALMA image of the protoplanetary disk surrounding the young star HD 163296 as seen in dust.

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Credit: ESO, ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO); Pinte et al.

ALMA has uncovered convincing evidence that three young planets are in orbit around the infant star HD 163296. Using a novel planet-finding technique, astronomers have identified three discrete disturbances in the young star's gas-filled disc: the strongest evidence yet that newly formed planets are in orbit there. These are considered the first planets discovered with ALMA.This image shows part of the ALMA data set at one wavelength and reveals a clear 'kink' in the material, which indicates unambiguously the presence of one of the planets.

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Astronomers recently announced the discovery of a trio of infant planets.

Using a new planet-finding technique, astronomers have identified three discrete disturbances in the young star’s gas-filled disc: the strongest evidence yet that newly formed planets are in orbit there.

This sequence takes the viewer from a broad view of the spectacular central regions of the Milky Way and in towards the rich constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer).

Here we find an unremarkable-looking star, HD 163296, which has about twice the mass of the Sun, but is only four million years old.