A Super Jupiter Makes its Mark

Synopsis

This ESOCast video shows how astronomers achieve a groundbreaking milestone by directly following the motion of an exoplanet as it transitions from one side of its host star to the other. The exoplanet boasts the smallest orbit recorded among directly imaged exoplanets, situated nearly as close to its parent star as Saturn is to the Sun. Scientists propose that this planet may have formed similarly to the giant planets in the Solar System. The young age of the star supports the notion that gas giant planets can form in such environments, providing new insights into planetary formation.