Planets Can Form Much Faster Than Thought, New ALMA Photos Suggest
A new study using ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) has revealed that planets can form much faster than previously thought. The study, presented by Cheng-Han Hsieh of Yale University, shows that planets can form in as little as 100,000 years, challenging the prevailing wisdom that it takes at least two million years for planet-forming disks to produce worlds like those in our own solar system.
The ALMA observations revealed donut-shaped disks with large central cavities, as well as disks with multiple rings and spiral structures. These findings suggest that giant planet formation may begin at the very early stage after protostar formation. Hsieh noted that the new images add more evidence to challenge the prevailing wisdom and raise interesting questions about the evolution of these two populations of protoplanetary disks.
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Clouds of dust and gas not far from our solar system are giving astronomers a rare glimpse into the earliest stages of planet formation.
A new study using ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) has revealed that planets can form much faster than previously thought. The study, presented by Cheng-Han Hsieh of Yale University, shows that planets can form in as little as 100,000 years, challenging the prevailing wisdom that it takes at least two million years for planet-forming disks to produce worlds like those in our own solar system.
The ALMA observations revealed donut-shaped disks with large central cavities, as well as disks with multiple rings and spiral structures. These findings suggest that giant planet formation may begin at the very early stage after protostar formation. Hsieh noted that the new images add more evidence to challenge the prevailing wisdom and raise interesting questions about the evolution of these two populations of protoplanetary disks.
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