JWST Has Spotted Six Rogue Planets, Without a Star to Call Home
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope discovered six rogue planets in the NGC 1333 nebula, challenging traditional planetary formation theories and suggesting billions may exist in the Milky Way.
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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered six rogue planets in the star-forming nebula NGC 1333, located in the Perseus constellation. These planets, which are not bound to any star, range from five to ten times the mass of Jupiter and are believed to have formed through gravitational collapse, similar to how stars are created. This finding challenges traditional views of planetary formation, suggesting that some planets may form in a manner akin to stars, rather than solely from the remnants of material left after star formation. The researchers found disks of gas and dust around these objects, indicating a star-like formation process. The study highlights the potential for these rogue planets to exist in large numbers throughout the Milky Way, with estimates suggesting billions may be present. The discovery raises intriguing questions about the nature of planetary systems, as these objects could potentially form their own planets, blurring the lines between stars and planets. The research has been published in The Astronomical Journal and is available on arXiv.
- JWST has identified six rogue planets in the NGC 1333 nebula.
- These planets are between five and ten times the mass of Jupiter and formed through gravitational collapse.
- The discovery suggests that planets can form similarly to stars, challenging existing theories of planetary formation.
- Estimates indicate there could be billions of rogue planets in the Milky Way.
- The findings open up possibilities for these planets to form their own planetary systems.
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