Planet Forms at Record Speed, stunning Astronomers
Geneva, Switzerland - October 11, 2025 – Astronomers have observed a planet coalescing at an unprecedented rate, challenging existing theories of planetary formation. The revelation, made using data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, reveals a gas giant forming within a timeframe previously thought unfeasible.
Typically, planet formation is understood to be a gradual process unfolding over millions of years.However, this newly observed planet appears to be rapidly accreting material within a protoplanetary disk surrounding a young star, designated PDS 70s, located approximately 370 light-years from Earth. Researchers estimate the planet has accumulated a critically important portion of its mass in just the last few hundred years-a blink of an eye in cosmic terms.This rapid development offers a unique opportunity to witness planet birth in real-time and refine models of how planetary systems evolve.
The planet, still embedded within its disk of gas and dust, is estimated to be several times the mass of Jupiter. Its swift formation is especially intriguing because current models struggle to explain how planets can grow so quickly before the surrounding disk dissipates. The observation provides crucial evidence supporting theories involving gravitational instabilities within the disk,where dense clumps of material collapse under their own weight to form planets.
“This is the first time we’ve directly witnessed such a fast and furious planet formation process,” explains Dr. Miriam Keppler, lead author of the study published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.”It’s like watching a time-lapse of something that usually takes millennia.”
Further observations are planned to monitor the planet’s growth and characterize its atmosphere, offering deeper insights into the conditions under which gas giants are born and the potential for habitability in newly formed planetary systems. The findings underscore the dynamic and often surprising nature of planet formation, prompting a reevaluation of our understanding of the cosmos.
