Astronomers Find a Giant Hiding in the 'Fog' Around a Young Star

A young gas giant and hidden substructures in a protoplanetary disk

The detection of planets in protoplanetary disks has proven to be extremely challenging. By contrast, rings and gaps, usually attributed to planet–disk interactions, have been found in virtually every large protoplanetary (Class II) disk observed at 0.9–1.3 mm with sufficient spatial resolution (5 au). The nearby disk around MP Mus (PDS 66) stands as an exception to this rule, and its advanced age (7–10 Myr) is particularly difficult to reconcil…

Astronomers discover monster exoplanet hiding in 'stellar fog' around young star

A monster exoplanet as big as 10 times the size of Jupiter has emerged from the stellar gas and dust surrounding a young star, thanks to the telescope tag team of Gaia and ALMA.

It looked like nothing—then scientists found a world 10x the size of Jupiter

Astronomers have uncovered a massive, hidden exoplanet nestled in the dusty disc of a young star—MP Mus—by combining cutting-edge data from the ALMA observatory and ESA’s Gaia mission. Initially thought to be planet-free, the star’s surrounding disc appeared deceptively empty. But new observations and a telltale stellar “wobble” pointed to a Jupiter-sized gas giant forming within the disc’s obscured gaps. This marks the first time a planet in su…

Astronomers find a giant hiding in the 'fog' around a young star

Astronomers have detected a giant exoplanet—between three and ten times the size of Jupiter—hiding in the swirling disk of gas and dust surrounding a young star.

Giant hiding in the ’fog’ around a young star

14.07.2025 - Astronomers have detected a giant exoplanet - between three and ten times the size of Jupiter - hiding in the swirling disc of gas and dust surrounding a young star. Earlier observations of this star, called MP Mus, suggested that it was all'alone without any planets in orbit around it, surrounded by a featureless cloud of gas and dust.

You can’t judge a star by its protoplanetary disc