🌀 First direct observation of the rotation of a planetary disk

For the first time, the rotation of a disk where planets are born has been directly observed by mapping the emission of dust grains. This is the disk surrounding the young star AB Aurigae.

While it appears to rotate overall in accordance with the laws of physics, certain regions of the disk close to the star show an unexpected deviation.

The origin of this anomaly?

According to scientists, a body of evidence suggests the presence of giant planets in the process of formation.

This study, led by researchers from the CNRS at the Paris Observatory - PSL and the University of Bordeaux, is published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics on June 1, 2026. It provides unprecedented insight into the mechanisms of planet formation and the complex dynamics of protoplanetary disks.

Thanks to the unique capabilities of the SPHERE instrument in the near-infrared and its exceptional spatial resolution, the team was able to accurately track the disk structures and their evolution over three observations collected over a 4-year interval.

The scientists identified a bright structure, characteristic of accretion zones where gas and dust accumulate and fall onto a forming object. This phenomenon is notably involved in the formation of giant gas planets.

The images of the AB Aurigae disk also reveal the rapid rotation of thin shadows cast on the surface by invisible structures, potentially protoplanets (planets in the making) or opaque dust clumps, in orbit near the star.

These results, more complex than predicted by theoretical models, underscore the importance of continuing research to directly detect the properties of the protoplanets or clumps responsible for the structures observed in the AB Aurigae disk.