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'Like a family photo of our solar system': The James Webb telescope is watching 2 alien planets being born before our eyes
- The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is observing the formation of two alien planets around the star PDS 70, which is located about 370 light-years away.
- PDS 70b and PDS 70c are the two nascent planets being directly imaged through innovative approaches by researchers using JWST and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT).
- The JWST's Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) utilized Aperture Masking Interferometry to observe the planets in high resolution and detected potential material surrounding them.
- Observations with longer wavelengths by JWST indicated warm material around the planets, suggesting accretion from circumplanetary disks, which signals ongoing planet growth.
- The star PDS 70 is still actively accreting material at a young age of about 5.4 million years, offering a rare opportunity to witness planet formation in action.
- The study also hints at the presence of a third planet, PDS 70d, providing additional insights into the evolving planetary system.
- Further observations and follow-up studies are needed to confirm the nature of the third potential planet and understand its atmospheric composition.
- This research sheds light on the ongoing planet formation processes and the dynamic interactions within the PDS 70 planetary system.
- The findings contribute to our understanding of how planetary systems evolve and provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of planet growth and accretion.
- The ability to directly observe exoplanets and their formation using advanced telescopes like JWST opens up new opportunities for studying the origins of planetary systems.
- The discoveries made through these observations showcase the intricate and fascinating processes involved in the birth and evolution of planets around young stars.
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