Astronomers Spot Early Giant Planet Formation in Gomez's Hamburger
In short
- Astronomers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe the GoHam system.
- They were surprised to find early giant planet formation between dense layers of gas and dust.
- The system is seen edge-on, giving a rare view of where giant planets may take shape.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
Most planet-forming discs are seen face-on, which hides their inner layers. An edge-on view lets astronomers see the dense gas and dust where giant planets may start. The find is a discovery about how planets form, not yet a result with direct effects on people.
From Phys.org
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) were surprised to discover the earliest phases of giant planet formation between the dense layers of gas and dust in the "Gomez's Hamburger" system, referred to as GoHam.
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For kids
Far away in space, there is a cloud of gas and dust called Gomez's Hamburger. Astronomers used a powerful telescope to look at it from the side. They saw the very first steps of giant planets forming there. Talk about it: what would you like to find out about how planets are made?
