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Youngest Planet Discovered

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the just-a-two-thousand-year-old-baby dept.

qazsedcft writes "BBC is reporting that Astronomers have discovered what appears to be the youngest planet, being less than 2000 years old. If this proves to be true it could challenge our models of solar system formation."

7 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Won't somebody think of the children... by zappepcs · · Score: 5, Funny

    This astronomy child porn has to stop! Before you know it, these 'astronomers' will be cruising the galaxy trying to probe every new planet they find!

    --
    Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
    1. Re:Won't somebody think of the children... by pshumate · · Score: 5, Funny

      Great, now Chris Hansen's going to host "To Catch An Astronomer."

  2. From TFA... by SimonGhent · · Score: 5, Funny

    According to one model, planets form from the bottom up

    So that would be turtle first, then elephants, then the flat bit.

    Makes sense.

    (apologies for reading TFA, I'm new here)
    --
    simon
  3. only 18 years old by whtmarker · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think Captain Planet is the youngest planet alive. source

  4. Re:"Challenge our models"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    There really is an open controversy in the field regarding whether the gravitational instability model or the core accretion model is appropriate for large planets. Instability occurs very quickly and tends to produce big planets (the disc just clumps); accretion takes a long time and tends to build smaller planets (things have to hit and stick).

    Most astronomers believe that core accretion is correct, but there's a significant numerical astrophysics community who believes the instability model. Arguments tend to be about how cold the disc needs to be for the mechanism to work.

    The discovery of large early planets strengthens the evidence for the instability model.

    However, if I'm reading right, the 1600 yr timescale is mostly could-it-be speculation. Haven't read the underlying paper yet though.

    IANA.. oh, wait. I actually am a planetary astrophysicist.

  5. Re:I'm not that impressed by Tesen · · Score: 5, Funny

    In a related story, Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer threw multiple chairs after he heard of the newly discovered "young" planet. Steve was quoted as saying, "I bet freaking google has already tried to map the fucker! ".

  6. Re:I'm not that impressed by binpajama · · Score: 5, Funny

    Won't it be getting close to the Flood for those poor folks? Maybe we could bundle our tele-evangelists into a spaceship and send them there to spread salvation. The horrors of Earth must not be repeated elsewhere.