ESOcast 221 Light: ESO Telescope Sees Signs of Planet Birth

ESO Telescope Sees Signs of Planet Birth Observations with ESO’s SPHERE instrument on the Very Large Telescope have revealed the telltale signs of a star system being born. The young system, AB Aurigae, lies only 520 light-years away from Earth in the Auriga constellation. Around the young star lies a dense disc of dust and gas where astronomers have spotted a prominent spiral structure with a twist… …that marks the site where a planet may be forming. This feature could be the first direct evidence of early planet formation in a young stellar disc. The new observations provide crucial clues to help scientists better understand the process of planet formation. Transcribed by ESO; Translated by - .