'Teenage' planet grows rapidly, challenges our understanding of planet formation
A rogue planet called Cha 1107-7626, floating 620 light-years away, just surprised scientists by suddenly gobbling up gas and dust at an increased rate.
Recent observations indicate it started pulling in six billion tons of material every second—making it five to 10 times heavier than Jupiter.
Planet's feeding process resembles that of young stars
Using powerful telescopes on Earth and in space, astronomers spotted water vapor swirling around the planet as it grew.
The way Cha 1107-7626 is feeding—probably thanks to its magnetic field—looks a lot like what happens with young stars, not typical planets.
This shakes up what we thought we knew about how planets are born.
Study of such planets can help us understand their evolution
Even though you can't see Cha 1107-7626 without special equipment, researchers are tracking its dramatic growth to better understand how lonely, free-floating planets evolve.
What they learn here could totally change our big-picture ideas about where planets come from.