Astronomers Witness The Birth Of A Distant Solar System In Groundbreaking Discovery.
Astronomers have achieved a remarkable feat by capturing the earliest stages of a new solar system forming around a young star, located 1,300 light-years away in the Orion B molecular cloud. This unprecedented observation, centred on the protostar HOPS-315, offers a rare glimpse into the processes that shaped our own solar system billions of years ago. The discovery, published in the journal *Nature*, marks a significant milestone in our understanding of planetary formation.
Using the combined power of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, researchers observed the condensation of solid particles from hot gas around HOPS-315. This young star, with a mass about 60% that of our Sun, is still growing, surrounded by a swirling disc of material known as a protoplanetary disc. Within this disc, scientists detected the presence of high-temperature minerals, such as forsterite and enstatite, which are critical building blocks for planets. These minerals, formed through a delicate balance of vaporisation and recondensation, mirror the materials found in ancient meteorites within our own solar system.
The discovery is particularly significant because it captures what researchers describe as “time zero” in planetary formation—a fleeting phase that lasts only 100,000 to 200,000 years. “We’ve captured a direct glimpse of the hot region where rocky planets like Earth are born around young protostars,” said Melissa McClure, an astronomer at Leiden University in the Netherlands and lead author of the study. The unique orientation of HOPS-315, tilted to allow a clear view of its inner disc, made this observation possible, earning it the nickname “unicorn” among astronomers.
The JWST’s advanced infrared cameras and spectroscopic capabilities, paired with ALMA’s high-resolution imaging, revealed the presence of silicon monoxide and other key molecules within the disc. These findings provide a detailed map of the chemical and physical processes driving the formation of planets. “We’re seeing a system that looks like what our solar system looked like when it was just beginning to form,” noted Merel van’t Hoff, a co-author from Purdue University. This parallel offers scientists a unique opportunity to study the conditions that lead to the creation of Earth-like worlds.
The observation of HOPS-315 not only sheds light on the birth of planets but also underscores the remarkable advancements in telescope technology. Previous studies of protoplanetary discs were limited by obscuring clouds of gas and dust, but the combined sensitivity of JWST and ALMA has overcome these barriers. The data suggest that the processes observed around HOPS-315 may be a common feature of planet formation, challenging earlier assumptions that such conditions might be unique to our solar system.
As astronomers continue to analyse HOPS-315, they hope to uncover further details about the early stages of planetary systems. The discovery has already prompted calls to revisit other protostars, such as HOPS-68, which may exhibit similar characteristics. “This system is one of the best we know to probe the processes that happened in our solar system,” van’t Hoff added. With more observations, scientists aim to identify patterns that could reveal the key factors in forming habitable planets.
This breakthrough not only deepens our understanding of the cosmos but also brings us closer to answering fundamental questions about our origins. The study of HOPS-315 serves as a window into the universe’s past, offering hope that we may one day uncover the secrets of how planets—and perhaps life itself—come to be.