Elias 2–24 b identified as the youngest planet ever discovered

Astronomers have confirmed the discovery of Elias 2–24 b, the youngest planet ever detected, which is less than one million years old. Located approximately 120 parsecs away, the planet orbits its star while still embedded within its original disk of dust and gas.

The discovery challenges existing planetary formation models. While theories suggest that a Jupiter-sized planet would typically require about 5 million years to form at such distances, Elias 2–24 b is located 55 times further from its star than Earth is from the Sun. The planet is estimated to be 2 to 4 times more massive than Jupiter.

Researchers confirmed the object's identity by analyzing archival data from the Keck Observatory, including observations from 2018 and 2020. By using a coronagraph to block stellar light and tracking the object's movement, they determined it was a planet rather than a visual defect or background star. The finding supports the gravitational instability theory, which suggests giant planets can form rapidly, though the speed and distance of this specific formation suggest current models may still be missing key processes.