Record Growth of Planet Observed: Six Billion Tons per Second

A remarkable discovery has been made by an international research team utilizing the Very Large Telescope (VLT) operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). They have identified a rogue planet, located 620 light-years away, exhibiting unprecedented growth rates--consuming gas and dust at an astonishing rate of six billion tons per second. To put this into perspective, this amount is equivalent to twice the volume of Lake Starnberg.

This exoplanet, designated Cha 1107-7626, behaves in several ways like a star, making it an intriguing subject for scientific investigation. The research team emphasizes that the formation of such solitary planets remains an unresolved question in astrophysics.

According to ESO, Cha 1107-7626 is surrounded by a disk of gas and dust, which continuously feeds material onto the planet. This phenomenon, known as accretion, is similar to processes observed in black holes. However, observations have revealed that the accretion process for this planet is not uniform; in August, it absorbed material at eight times the rate compared to months prior. This event marks the strongest accretion recorded for an object of planetary mass, as explained by researcher Víctor Almendros-Abad from the Astronomical Observatory of Palermo. The planet is estimated to be five to ten times larger than Jupiter.

The discovery of Cha 1107-7626's extraordinary growth challenges the previously clear distinctions between planets and stars, according to astronomer Belinda Damian, who contributed to this study. Additionally, the research indicated that the magnetic activity of this isolated planet likely influences its growth, a characteristic previously attributed only to stars. The chemical composition of the surrounding disk has also shown variability, with hydrogen detected only during the growth surge--another trait typically associated with stellar behavior.

Amelia Bayo, an ESO astronomer, remarked on the significance of this finding, highlighting the implications it has on our understanding of planetary formation and evolution in their early stages. While many envision planets as stable and tranquil, Cha 1107-7626 demonstrates that freely floating celestial bodies with planetary mass can indeed be dynamic and exciting environments.

The findings of this research have been published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, opening new discussions about the nature of planetary bodies in the universe.