* Posts by Thraciana

1 publicly visible post • joined 7 Jan 2013

Newborn planets spotted slurping up gas from young parent star

Thraciana

Is the same planet (star at that time) discovered by a team of astronomers led by Jane Greaves of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in the same constellation, Taurus, in 2008?

Read and compare (from National Geographic, april 2008) ..

"

The newfound protoplanet, named HL Tau b, was discovered taking shape about 520 light-years away in the constellation Taurus.

HL Tau, the parent star, is itself in its infancy, since it's believed to be less than a hundred thousand years old. Our own sun, by comparison, has been blazing for more than 4.5 billion years.

The new planet is a "distinct orbiting ball of gas and dust, which is exactly how a very young protoplanet should look," Greaves said in a statement.

"The planet will probably take millions of years to settle down into its final form," she said. "So we really are seeing it very early—even a bit like the first cells that make up a human embryo in the womb."

"

the complete source is here: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080403-planet-embryo.html