Galway Researchers Uncover New Planet Similar to Jupiter

An international team of astronomers, led by researchers from the University of Galway, has made a significant discovery of a new planet, named WISPIT 2b, which bears similarities to Jupiter. This planet, estimated to be approximately five million years old, is in the early stages of formation around a star akin to our sun. The groundbreaking findings have been documented in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The discovery was made at the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), located in the Atacama Desert of Chile. This advanced observatory is recognized as one of the world’s leading astronomical facilities. To celebrate this finding, the European Southern Observatory released an image of WISPIT 2b as its picture of the week, showcasing the remarkable visual evidence of the planet’s existence.

Discovery Process and Observations

Dr. Christian Ginski, a lecturer at the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Galway and the second author of the study, explained the observation process. The team employed brief snapshot observations of various young stars, lasting only a few minutes per object. They aimed to identify faint dots of light indicative of planets. Instead, they discovered a stunning multi-ringed dust disc surrounding the star.

“When we saw this multi-ringed disc for the first time, we knew we had to try and see if we could detect a planet within it,” Dr. Ginski noted. The team’s follow-up observations confirmed the presence of WISPIT 2b, marking it as a major achievement in planetary discovery.

This detection is particularly notable as it represents only the second confirmed planet found at such an early evolutionary stage around a young star. The first, detected in 2018 by a team that included Dr. Ginski, underscores the rarity of such discoveries.

Significance and Future Research

Located approximately 430 light years from Earth, WISPIT 2b is the first unequivocal planet detected within a multi-ringed disc. This environment offers an exceptional opportunity for researchers to study planet-disc interactions and the subsequent evolution of planets. The planet was observed in near-infrared light, akin to the view provided by night-vision goggles, revealing its continued glow as it forms.

The research team, which included experts from Leiden University and the University of Arizona, captured a clear image of the young proto-planet embedded in a disc gap. Notably, the planet was also detected in visible light, indicating active gas accretion as it develops its atmosphere.

WISPIT 2b was identified as part of a five-year observational project aimed at determining the prevalence of wide-orbit gas giant planets around younger versus older stars. The dust and gas-rich discs surrounding young stars serve as the birthplaces of planets, exhibiting diverse structures like rings and spiral arms believed to be related to planet formation.

The disc surrounding WISPIT 2b spans a radius of 380 astronomical units, which is roughly 380 times the distance between Earth and the sun. Dr. Ginski expressed optimism about the future of research in this area, stating, “I think many of our colleagues who study planet formation will take a close look at this system in the years to come.”

This discovery not only adds to our understanding of planetary formation but also enhances the body of knowledge regarding the diverse environments in which planets can evolve. As researchers continue to study WISPIT 2b, the implications for our understanding of gas giants and their formation processes will likely expand.