Astronomers capture the birth of planets around a baby sun outside solar system

Astronomers have captured the earliest known signs of rocky planet formation around a young, sun-like star called HOPS-315, offering a rare glimpse into how planetary systems like our own begin. Using NASA’s Webb Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory, researchers detected solid silicate minerals—key building blocks of rocky planets—condensing in the star’s gas disk. This is the first time such early-stage materials have been directly observed, confirming that the process seen in our solar system may be common across the universe. The discovery marks a significant step in understanding the origins of Earth-like planets.

Credit: CGTN