Non-spherical particles gathering suggests the formation of a baby planet

Nov 29, 2012 14:10 GMT  ·  By
UX Tauri A, a 1-million-year-old star located 450 light-years away from Earth
   UX Tauri A, a 1-million-year-old star located 450 light-years away from Earth

Images captured by the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii reveal a dust gathering phenomenon around a distant star.

Scientists suspect it could be the representation of a new planet's forming process, Space reports.

The Subaru Telescope detected a formation of gas and dust circling UX Tauri A, a sun-like young star aged about 1 million years, and located in the Taurus constellation, about 450 light-years away from Earth.

The particles surrounding the star have been spotted in a non-spherical shape, which suggests their reciprocal adherence that would most probably end up giving birth to a new planet.

Despite the UX Tauri A's youth, previous research has shown that the creation of new planets around it is possible.

In 2007, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope detected a giant hollow in the protoplanetary disk surrounding the star. The finding reveals the eventuality of other planets' forming there.