Astronomers have uncovered a runaway feeding frenzy in a rogue planet drifting freely through space, devouring six billion tonnes of gas and dust every second. Located 620 light-years away in the Chamaeleon constellation, the object, Cha 1107-7626, is growing at the fastest rate ever seen in any planet. The dramatic surge in mass revealed evidence of strong magnetic fields and changing chemistry, including water vapor, previously only observed in young stars.
Astronomers have uncovered a runaway feeding frenzy in a rogue planet drifting freely through space, devouring six billion tonnes of gas and dust every second. Located 620 light-years away in the Chamaeleon constellation, the object, Cha 1107-7626, is growing at the fastest rate ever seen in any planet. The dramatic surge in mass revealed evidence of strong magnetic fields and changing chemistry, including water vapor, previously only observed in young stars. Astronomers have uncovered a runaway feeding frenzy in a rogue planet drifting freely through space, devouring six billion tonnes of gas and dust every second. Located 620 light-years away in the Chamaeleon constellation, the object, Cha 1107-7626, is growing at the fastest rate ever seen in any planet. The dramatic surge in mass revealed evidence of strong magnetic fields and changing chemistry, including water vapor, previously only observed in young stars.