Summary
0 Shares WhatsAppTelegramFacebookLinkedInTwitterRedditPinterestAstronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered six rogue planets drifting alone in a distant star-forming nebula within the Perseus Molecular Cloud, located approximately 960 light-years from Earth.
Rogue Planets: Formed Like Stars, Drifting AloneThe six rogue planets were identified within a region known as NGC 1333, a turbulent nebula where new stars are born from collapsing knots of gas and dust.
Unlike typical planets, which form in protoplanetary disks around young stars, these rogue planets likely condensed directly from interstellar gas, much like how stars are born.
New Insights Into the Star Formation ProcessThe discovery of these rogue planets challenges traditional definitions and processes of planetary and stellar formation.
Looking ahead, the upcoming launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in 2027 is expected to expand the search for rogue planets.