New discovery by ESO scientists could change views about how planets are formed

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has discovered a planet orbiting the most massive two-star system known. Discovered using the Very Large Telescope (VLT), the star system named 'b Centauri' has at least six times the mass of the Sun and has been identified as the most massive system around which a planet revolves.

Until now, planets have been found to orbit star systems having a mass just three times that of the sun, the astronomers reported in their study published in the journal, Nature.

Discovery of new planet can change beliefs about planet formation

The discovery of the new planet has made scientists reconsider theories about the conditions required for the presence of planets around their stars. Talking about the new planet, astronomer Markus Janson from Stockholm University who is also the lead author of the study said: 

"Finding a planet around b Centauri was very exciting since it completely changes the picture about massive stars as planet hosts."

Named 'b Centauri (AB)b' or 'b Centauri b', the planet is ten times the mass of Jupiter and has some extreme features. The astronomers reported in their study that the planet is among the most massive planets ever found and revolves around the star-duo in one of the widest orbits yet discovered. As per the findings, the planet orbits the stars at a distance that is 100 times greater than the distance of Jupiter from the Sun which, according to scientists, is the reason for its survival.

The study found that the main star in the system is a B-type star, that is over three times as hot as the Sun and emits intense ultraviolet and X-ray radiation owing to its extreme temperature. The discovery of the planet is even more surprising as the conditions around 'b Centauri' are against planet formation as the huge mass and emerging heat from the star has a strong impact on the surrounding gas. 

Gayathri Viswanath, co-author and a Ph.D. student at Stockholm University said, as per ESO's report, "The planet in b Centauri is an alien world in an environment that is completely different from what we experience here on Earth and in our Solar System. It's a harsh environment, dominated by extreme radiation, where everything is on a gigantic scale: the stars are bigger, the planet is bigger, the distances are bigger". Meanwhile, scientists are now preparing to explore more about the planet's features and the story behind its formation.

(Image: @ESO/Twitter)