The Youngest Planet Ever Recorded

[Ancient Aliens]

That is a computer generated image of LkCa 15 b, the youngest planet ever recorded. The planet is located near a newly formed star in the Taurus Constellation. LkCa 15 b still has some proto-planetary residue in it's orbit, and researchers think it's 5 times younger than the previous record holder.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Pretty interesting stuff, eh? Hopefully this will shed some light on the process of planetary formation.

[Exarch]

awesome,+rep
ancient aliens, what field of science are you in?

[Magicman2051]

Fantastic.

It has been years since any new data about solar system formation, specifically how planets form and what determines their orbit and composition, has been found or researched and I maintain that if we can't understand our past then we're absolutely screwed at managing to do anything with the present.

When you think about it though the entire field has flipped between one theory and another too often of late.

[Ancient Aliens]

Fantastic.

It has been years since any new data about solar system formation, specifically how planets form and what determines their orbit and composition, has been found or researched and I maintain that if we can't understand our past then we're absolutely screwed at managing to do anything with the present.

When you think about it though the entire field has flipped between one theory and another too often of late.

I agree, and yes I think that this find will help further or at least solidify the most planetary formation theory (protoplanetary discs). I wasn't aware that the field was flipping on this subject lately, however. Could you go into detail on that?

awesome,+rep
ancient aliens, what field of science are you in?

As flattering as that was, I am not a scientist. Alas, I am but a mere tsoudoscientist, with a degree in sports information communication on the side.

[Irish Warrior]

Why does everything in space look vaguely phallic?

[Ancient Aliens]

Why does everything in space look vaguely phallic?

Because you probably experienced a sexually traumatic event as a child.

[Irish Warrior]

Because you probably experienced a sexually traumatic event as a child.

Or your a weirdo?

[TheDarkKnight]

Why does everything in space look vaguely phallic?

Space is the real life version of the Rorschach test...

[medievaldude]

Why does everything in space look vaguely phallic?

Because everything is moving you cant assume every image is clear, anyways why do you have to say such an adolescent thing?

[Magicman2051]

The flipping is mainly based on the theories put forth about extra solar captures and the effect of gas giants.

While the predominant theory, well into the 90's, was that gas giants acted as a sort of a solar screen capturing or deflecting larger objects and thus keeping the inner system free of potentially hazardous comets. However the recent discoveries of Trojan asteroids and the now prevailing idea that Jupiter actually sends more asteroids into the inner solar system through preturbance of the asteroid belt etc. has led to several changes in that theory. As well as that the discovery that most gas giants are, in fact, extrasolar captures puts things more out of balance.

Basically, the idea of a "clean system" (whereby all the material falls into set stable patterns only disturbing by an action outside the system) is going out the window in exchange for a "chaotic system" (whereby the system itself is NEVER stable).

[Shogun_master]

Very very awesome. Would love to witness whats going up close

[Irish Warrior]

Very very awesome. Would love to witness whats going up close

That planet is fully formed now, we're just looking into it's past essentially.

[Shogun_master]

That planet is fully formed now, we're just looking into it's past essentially.

No that slipped my mind lol. But still would loved to have seen it

[John I Tzimisces]

That planet is fully formed now, we're just looking into it's past essentially.

The planet is 450 light years away. What we're observing, then, is what was going on 450 years ago. Trust me, planet formation is not *that* fast. It's obviously not the same now as what we're observing now, but conditions in that extrasolar planet probably aren't very different.

[Ancient Aliens]

The planet is 450 light years away. What we're observing, then, is what was going on 450 years ago. Trust me, planet formation is not *that* fast. It's obviously not the same now as what we're observing now, but conditions in that extrasolar planet probably aren't very different.

You beat me to it. Yeah, the stars seen in the Taurus Constellation are relatively close. Gliese 176 is only ~30 light years away.

[John I Tzimisces]

You beat me to it. Yeah, the stars seen in the Taurus Constellation are relatively close. Gliese 176 is only ~30 light years away.

Admittedly it's close in the same sense that I'm close to sri lanka.

[Irish Warrior]

The planet is 450 light years away. What we're observing, then, is what was going on 450 years ago. Trust me, planet formation is not *that* fast. It's obviously not the same now as what we're observing now, but conditions in that extrasolar planet probably aren't very different.

I didn't know that

[Mr.Mad]

Aw, just a little baby!

Anyway, awesome, as has been said. Space truly is the greatest of frontiers.

[visser300]

ok, we found the biggesr star, the darkest planet, the richest planet (diamond planet), the youngest planet. Now what?