A rare planetary system has been discovered that mirrors the structure of our solar system, the formation of exoplanets and the influence of gas giants, giving astronomers a glimpse into cosmic history.
Located 87 light-years from Earth, the system orbits the young star AF Leporis, which is 24 million years old and will last only a small fraction of our Sun’s 4.6 billion years.
Researchers used the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope to image the system, which showed a layout very similar to our solar system.
Gas giants mirror Jupiter and Saturn
The AF Leporis system is home to two enormous gas giants:
- AF Lep b: Positioned like Saturn, with a cold, thick atmosphere
- AF Lep c: an outer giant that mirrors Jupiter’s gravitational role
The two planets create two debris belts that serve as counterparts to our asteroid and Kuiper belts. The planet’s gravity creates gaps between the disks, creating system stability that allows the development of smaller rocky planets.
Unlike the traditional transport method, the direct imaging method using the SPHERE instrument has helped scientists observe the reflected light of the planets. This method also makes it possible to measure the composition of the planets’ atmospheres.
AF Leporis offers scientists the opportunity to observe live planet formation, including the migration of the Jupiter-Saturn model, which could be the universal formula for the formation of planetary systems.
