Mysterious Planetary-Mass Objects May Form in Young Star System Clashes

New findings suggest planetary-mass objects may emerge from clashes between young star systems, altering existing theories.

Advertisement
Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 12 March 2025 21:05 IST
Highlights
  • Planetary-mass objects could form from star system interactions
  • New simulations challenge traditional planet and star formation theorie
  • These objects may belong to a distinct cosmic category
Mysterious Planetary-Mass Objects May Form in Young Star System Clashes

Recent research challenges traditional views on planetary-mass objects.

Free-floating planetary-mass objects have been observed drifting through young star clusters, raising questions about their origins. These objects, with masses around 13 times that of Jupiter, have been identified in large numbers within regions like the Trapezium Cluster in Orion. The discovery of 40 binary planetary-mass objects, referred to as Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects (JuMBOs), has challenged existing theories about their formation. Their presence has led scientists to investigate whether they originate like planets or stars, as neither process can fully explain their characteristics.

Formation Linked to Star System Collisions

According to a study published in Science Advances on February 26, simulations suggest that these objects may form during violent interactions between circumstellar disks surrounding young stars. Deng Hongping of the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences told Phys.org that planetary-mass objects do not align with the typical classifications of stars or planets, indicating a distinct formation process linked to young star clusters.

New Insights into Rogue Planetary Objects

As reported, previous theories suggested that free-floating planetary-mass objects were planets ejected from their home systems due to gravitational interactions. However, the discovery of binary JuMBOs contradicts this, as the likelihood of such an event occurring without breaking the pair is low. Alternative explanations, such as them being brown dwarfs, have also been questioned, as binary rates decrease significantly for lower-mass stellar bodies.

Simulations Reveal a Different Mechanism

High-resolution hydrodynamic simulations by the research team demonstrated that circumstellar disk collisions at high speeds could create tidal bridges of gas and dust. These structures collapse into filaments that fragment, forming planetary-mass objects. The study found that 14% of these objects emerge in binary or triplet systems, providing a possible explanation for the large number of JuMBOs observed in Orion.

Advertisement

 

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Advertisement
Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Canva Code Review: Vibe Coding Meets Creative User Experience Design
  2. CMF Watch 3 Pro Launched With Up to 13 Days Battery Life: Price, Features
  3. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Pre-Orders Reportedly Outpace the Galaxy Z Flip 7
  4. BSNL Rs. 197 Prepaid Plan's Validity Reduced: Old vs. New Benefits
  5. CMF Buds 2, CMF Buds 2 Plus Can Be Purchased for a Limited Time Today
  6. Honor Pad GT 2 Pro With 10,100mAh Battery Goes Official
  7. AMD's New AI Image Model Can Run Locally on Ryzen AI Laptops
  8. ViewSonic X1-4K Pro, X2-4K Pro and SP7 Projectors Launched in India
  9. Google Pixel 10 Pro Design Officially Revealed Ahead of August 20 Launch
  10. Google Pixel 10 Design Renders Leaked; Suggests New Colour Options
  1. Realme 15 5G Series Launch Date: Know Expected Price in India, Specifications, Features and More
  2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Gets One UI 8 Watch Update With Wear OS 6 Features
  3. AMD Unveils Stable Diffusion 3 Medium Model With Support for 4-Megapixel Image Generation on Ryzen AI Laptops
  4. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Reportedly Outpaces Galaxy Z Flip 7 in Pre-Orders in South Korea
  5. Lava Blaze Dragon 5G Price Range, Key Features Revealed Ahead of July 25 Launch in India
  6. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Price in India Slashed After Galaxy Z Fold 7 Launch
  7. Honor Pad GT 2 Pro With Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, 10,100mAh Battery Launched: Price, Specifications
  8. CMF Watch 3 Pro Launched With 1.43-Inch AMOLED Screen, Up to 13 Days Battery Life: Price, Features
  9. Netflix Reportedly Testing Runway’s AI Video Tools in Content Production
  10. Vivo V60 Could Launch in India on August 12; Key Specifications and Price Tipped
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.