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The research highlights how different systems form

Reported by Tereza Pultarova

New images captured by the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile reveal unique insights into planet formation around young stars. In these portraits, emerging planetary systems look more like miniature galaxies rather than discs of debris. The figures showcase clearly defined spiral arms arising from thick dust. Others exhibit less defined clouds of luminescent matter. For astronomers, these observations present a unique opportunity to study how planets are born. The collection of images, captured by one of the world’s most powerful telescopes, is one of the largest of its kind, framing more than 80 young stars and their planet-forming discs. “This is really a shift in our field of study,” said Christian Ginski, a lecturer at the University of Galway in Ireland. “We’ve gone from the intense study of individual star systems to this huge overview of entire star-forming regions.”