JAKARTA – The Hubble Telescope found the youngest exoplanets. According to the Hubble researchers, the planet is 5 million years old. The exoplanet, named PDS 70b, is about 379 light years from Earth. The planet was found far from the constellation Centaurus.
PDS 70b is formed from dust and gas that revolves around their star, until finally colliding and forming a ‘ball’. While the planet is still gathering mass, it is estimated that PDS 70b is still developing.
Currently, it is the size of Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. In a new study, researchers took this opportunity to learn more about the PDS 70b with the Hubble telescope.
“This system is very interesting because we can see the formation of a planet. This is the youngest planet that Hubble has imaged directly, “said one of the researchers from the University of Texas, Yifan Zhou quoted from Space, Tuesday (4/5).
Through the Hubble telescope, researchers are also able to measure and determine the radiation from the hot gas that arises from the formation of the planet. In addition, researchers can also measure the mass growth of PDS 70b directly. This is the first time in history that researchers have been able to measure the mass growth of a planet.
Thus, the Hubble telescope has found more than 4 thousand exoplanets and 15 direct images of them. Most of Hubble’s images appear as tiny dots and appear far away, so this new discovery is very useful in the future.
“We still don’t know much about how giant planets grow. This planetary system provides us with the first opportunity to witness material falling onto a planet. The results will open up new areas for our research, ”continued Brenda Bowler, one of the other researchers.
The observations for PDS 70b are still incomplete. Because researchers are still waiting for additional data to confirm mass growth and trace the planet even further. Studying these exoplanets can also help provide details and a glimmer of hope as to how gas giant planets might form.
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