Many Planets Might Be Born with Orbits Misaligned From the Spin of Their Stars

Many planets might be born with orbits misaligned from the spin of their stars

An analysis of the geometry of young Sun-like stars with planet-forming disks, measured by ground- and space-based observatories, shows that at least one-third of disks are misaligned with the spin of their central star. This distribution of star–disk configurations seeds the later diversity of planetary system architectures. A study of young stars with planet-forming disks could explain why some exoplanets and planets in the Solar System have t…

Environmental News Network - Some Young Suns Are Aligned with Their Planet-forming Disks, Others Are Born Tilted

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara, The University of Texas at Austin, Yale University and National Taiwan Normal University have found that a fair number of sun-like stars emerge with their rotational axis tilted with respect to their protoplanetary disks, the clouds of gas and dust from which solar systems are born.

Some Young Suns Are Aligned with Their Planet-forming Disks, Others Are Born Tilted

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara, The University of Texas at Austin, Yale University and National Taiwan Normal University have found that a fair number of sun-like stars emerge with their rotational axis tilted with respect to their protoplanetary disks, the clouds of gas and dust from which solar systems are born.