Scientists find solar system baby brother in distant star system
Astronomers have discovered a young star system called WISPIT 2 that looks a lot like our solar system might have in its early days.
Located 437 light-years from Earth, WISPIT 2 is just 5.4 million years old and surrounded by a thick disk of gas and dust, giving us rare insight into how planets like ours could have formed billions of years ago.
Two planets are already confirmed
The first planet, WISPIT 2b, is five times heavier than Jupiter and orbits very far from its star, about 60 times farther than Earth is from the Sun.
The second planet, WISPIT 2c, was spotted recently with the Very Large Telescope and orbits at about 15 times Earth's distance from the Sun.
Both are carving out grooves in their dusty disk as they grow. Scientists even think there could be a third planet hiding out there, and they are using new technology to keep searching.