Overview

• Direct imaging pinpointed a candidate protoplanet at the base of a prominent spiral arm, matching decades-old theoretical predictions.
• The object emits its own infrared signal despite heavy dust obscuration, providing unprecedented confirmation of active disk sculpting.
• Estimated at twice Jupiter’s size and residing at a Neptune-like orbital distance, the protoplanet offers insights into gas-giant formation.
• HD 135344B, located roughly 440 light-years away, exhibits rings, gaps and spirals that mirror predicted planet–disk interactions.
• The detection showcases ERIS’s enhanced resolution and marks a milestone in real-time studies of planet birth within protoplanetary disks.