A Solar System in the making? Two planets spotted forming in disc around young star
Astronomers have observed two planets forming in the disc around a young star named WISPIT 2.
Original source cited and editorially framed by Cosmos Week. ESO Press Releases
Editorial signatureCosmos Week Editorial Desk
Published24 Mar 2026 13: 00 UTC
Updated2026-04-22
Coverage typeInstitutional source
Evidence levelInstitutional update
Read time4 min read
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Astronomers have observed two planets forming in the disc around a young star named WISPIT 2.
A telescopic image of a flat, inclined fuzzy disc with bright rings and dark gaps, all concentric. There is a small blob in one of those gaps. An inset that zooms in on the centre of the disc shows a second blob in another gap.A telescopic image of a flat, inclined fuzzy disc with bright rings and dark gaps, all concentric. There is a small blob in one of those gaps. An inset that zooms in on the centre of the disc shows a second blob in another gap.A telescopic image of a flat, inclined fuzzy disc with bright rings and dark gaps, all concentric. There is a small blob in one of those gaps. An inset that zooms in on the centre of the disc shows a second blob in another gap.An image of thousands of stars against a dark background.An astronomical chart with stars shown as black circles against a white sky. Larger circles correspond to brighter stars. Some stars and constellations are labelled. A red circle marks the location of WISPIT 2.Two planets spotted forming around a young star | ESO News
