• Astronomers have caught early signs of planet formation around a young star, HOPS-315.
• The discovery was made using NASA’s Webb Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory.
• Solid specks condensing in the star's gas disk indicate the onset of rocky planet formation.
• This research provides a first glimpse into processes potentially similar to those in our solar system's formation.
• The findings may help determine how common Earth-like planets are in the universe.

Astronomers have discovered the earliest seeds of rocky planets forming in the gas surrounding a baby sun-like star, known as HOPS-315, providing a remarkable glimpse into the early stages of planet formation. This significant finding highlights a moment termed "time zero," when new worlds begin to develop, according to latimes, sfgate, and huffpost.

The research team, led by Leiden Observatory's Melissa McClure, utilized the NASA Webb Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory in Chile to unveil these early signs of planetary formation. The yellow dwarf star HOPS-315, located approximately 1,370 light-years away and only 100,000 to 200,000 years old, is pivotal in this groundbreaking study, which illustrates the processes similar to those that occurred in our solar system over 4.5 billion years ago according to latimes, sfgate, and huffpost.

latimes, sfgate, and huffpost.

Scientists noted that the condensing of hot minerals had previously not been observed around other young stars, raising questions about whether such processes are universal among forming planetary systems. McClure remarked, "Our study shows that it could be a common process during the earliest stage of planet formation,” as she expressed enthusiasm about the implications of their findings regarding planetary evolution according to latimes and huffpost.

The emerging planetary system, depicted in stunning images captured by the ESO's Alma telescope network, appears like a "lightning bug" glowing in the dark void of space. The potential for discovering how many planets may arise around HOPS-315 remains open, with projections suggesting it could have eight planets within a million years, according to sfgate and huffpost.

Purdue University's Merel van ’t Hoff, a co-author of the study, expressed eagerness for further exploration of similar planetary systems. Understanding the formation of Earth-like planets is crucial, as scientists seek to determine, "Are there Earth-like planets out there or are we like so special that we might not expect it to occur very often?” This highlights the significance of this research in addressing fundamental questions about planetary formation across the cosmos according to latimes, sfgate, and huffpost.