Newborn Gas Planets Flaunt Surprising Flatness!🌕🌌👩🏻‍🚀

 In a groundbreaking revelation, recent research has unveiled a remarkable characteristic of newborn gas planets—they're unexpectedly flat! Imagine a world where gas giants resemble flattened Smarties or M&Ms rather than the spherical behemoths we often envision.

• Through meticulous computer simulations, a team of scientists delved into the enigmatic realm of protostellar disks—the cosmic cradles where planets take their formative steps. Their findings, published in Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters, shed light on the elusive nature of planetary formation.

• Observing these fledgling planets within their protostellar disks is akin to finding a needle in a cosmic haystack. Only a handful have been spotted thus far, underscoring the rarity and complexity of the process.

• The research unearthed fascinating insights powered by cutting-edge simulations run on DiRAC, the UK's astrophysics supercomputing facility. Protoplanets prefer a pancake-like profile, with gas streaming predominantly through their poles.

• While our solar system's planets also boast a slight flattening, these gas giants take it to the extreme—clocking in at a whopping 90% flatness! Such a distinctive feature could revolutionize how we interpret observations of these celestial bodies.

• The study delves into contrasting theories of planet formation—core accretion versus disk instability—debates that have long captivated astronomers. While both offer compelling narratives, disk instability holds sway in explaining specific exoplanetary systems.

• As we transition from the age of exoplanet discoveries to characterization, anticipation brews for the next wave of observatories poised to unravel more cosmic mysteries. With each advancement in theoretical modeling and observational prowess, we edge closer to deciphering the origins of our solar system.

• The journey from dust particles to gas giants is a saga written in the stars, and with every new revelation, the narrative grows more affluent, intricate, and endlessly captivating.

So, let's gaze skyward with wonder and curiosity, for in the vast expanse of the universe, every discovery brings us closer to unlocking its deepest secrets.🌕👩🏻‍🚀

#NASA #Spacenews #WhyCosmo #NewbornPlanets #FlatPlanets #PlanetFormation #Astrophysics #ProtoplanetaryDisks #Cosmology #SpaceExploration #DiskInstability #CoreAccretion #Exoplanets  #Supercomputers #DiRAC