Overview

• Astronomers report the strongest accretion episode ever recorded for a planetary‑mass object, based on observations of Cha 1107‑7626.
• ESO’s Very Large Telescope tracked variable accretion in April, May, and late June 2025, with JWST follow‑up in August capturing a peak roughly eight times higher than spring levels.
• The free‑floating body is estimated at 5 to 10 times Jupiter’s mass and lies about 620 light‑years away in the Chamaeleon constellation.
• JWST data show water vapor present during the burst after no prior detection, indicating a transient change in the object’s chemistry.
• Evidence points to a strong magnetic field channeling material in a star‑like manner; the findings appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, and ESO’s upcoming Extremely Large Telescope should ease discovery of similar objects.