Youngest exoplanet discovered, unlocking secrets of formation

The exoplanet, a celestial body outside our Solar System, dims the light of its star slightly as it passes in front of it. This dimming provides crucial clues for research teams worldwide. Astronomers have recently identified the youngest known planet, estimated to be less than 3 million years old.

Scientists discovered a planet orbiting a star that formed approximately 3 million years ago. From Earth's perspective, as the planet transits in front of its star, it allows scientists to observe light filtering through its atmosphere. This is a remarkable discovery because the planet orbits a star nearly three times younger than other known stars with transiting planets. It's believed that planets form after their stars, so this planet is likely even younger.

According to the scientific journal "Nature," where the latest research was published, scientists identified several planets transiting stars aged between 10 and 40 million years. Researchers believe many factors contribute to the difficulty in detecting extremely young planets, including the presence of disks around young stars, which are mainly composed of gas and dust. These disks can obstruct the observation of transiting planets. However, some disks are disrupted, making the discovery of new planets possible, as seen with IRAS 04125+2902 b.

This exoplanet has a radius 4% smaller than Jupiter, making it 11 times wider than Earth. Despite its size, its density is considerably lower, with a mass reaching only about 30% of Jupiter’s. Over time, its mass will likely decrease to be similar to Saturn's or even Neptune's.

The planet completes a transit in just 9 days and already receives substantial heat, which will increase as the star evolves. It might also be heated by gravitational collapse, aligning with previous observations of young planets. The IRAS 04125+2902 b system is roughly 521 light-years away, offering closer research opportunities than most discovered planets.

The quest for Earth-like atmospheres beyond our Solar System is a prevalent theme in exoplanet research. However, observing young planets, even those that are not Earth-like, can offer crucial insights into the planet formation process. In this regard, the discovery of the planet IRAS 04125+2902 b marks significant progress. We have learned more about the star around which this new exoplanet orbits; it has 70% of the Sun's mass, is only 3.3 million years old, and originates from the Taurus Molecular Cloud.