Beta Pictoris planetary system (artist's concept). Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Ralf Crawford (STScI)
Beta Pictoris d is estimated to be around two times the mass of Jupiter.
NASA scientists have discovered a new planet orbiting a neighbouring star located 63 light years away from us. The new exoplanet, named ‘Beta Pictoris d’, is the third to be found contained within the Beta Pictoris planetary system.
The 23m year old star Beta Pictoris offers scientists a rare glimpse into how newborn planetary systems form, and how its young planets interact with the dust and residual material left behind from their formation.
Last year, astronomers witnessed the very early stages of a new solar system being created around a baby star roughly 1,300 light years away. The Sun, in comparison, is around 4.5bn years old.
