James Webb Telescope Unveils Six Rogue Planets, Challenging Formation Theories

New discoveries by the Webb Telescope reveal planet-like objects forming independently of star systems, prompting reevaluation of star and planet formation processes.

Astronomers discovered six rogue planets in the star-forming nebula NGC 1333 using the James Webb Space Telescope.
These free-floating objects range from five to ten times the mass of Jupiter and lack a host star.
The findings suggest that planetary-mass objects can form both like stars from gas cloud collapse and within dust disks around young stars.
One of the objects features the lightest dusty disc ever observed outside a heliocentric system, hinting at potential mini-planetary systems.
The research pushes the boundaries of understanding how light an object can form like a star and has been accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal.