Hamburger Gomez: How an Ancient Star Sowed a Giant Planet

Planet Formation Spotted Around Dying Star ‘Gomez’s Hamburger’

Astronomers ‍have⁣ detected early signs of planet formation within a massive​ protoplanetary⁤ disk surrounding an aging star nicknamed “Gomez’s Hamburger” (GoHam). This ​finding offers⁤ new insights into ⁣how giant planets can form at​ extreme distances from their host stars.

The findings, made using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array⁢ (ALMA) – a ‍network of 66 radio antennas located in northern Chile ⁣- reveal dense gas structures within GoHam indicative of the⁤ initial stages of planet ⁢formation. GoHam is recognized as one of the largest protoplanetary disks ever observed.

The star system earned it’s nickname due​ to its side-on orientation⁢ when viewed from Earth,⁢ with layers of gas resembling the “bun” of a hamburger rotating around the central star.