It's Just a Lil' BABY Planet! w/ Feng Long, University of Arizona

<p>This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at lil' baby planets, discussing the birth of solar systems.</p><p>Later in the episode, we will be joined by University of Arizona astrophysicist Feng Long. She has recently developed a new means of finding young exoplanets as they form in clouds of gas and dust.</p><p>But first, let's learn a little bit about how planets and solar systems form around the Cosmos. Planets coalesce from gas and dust revolving around their developing stars in formations known as protoplanetary disks.</p><p>Finding young worlds in these dusky abodes is challenging at best. While planets hide within their shadowy sanctuaries, astronomers must rummage for indirect signs of planets in their infancies.</p><p>Roughly 4.5 billion years ago, a massive cloud of gas and dust began to collapse inward, perhaps triggered by the gravitational influence of a passing star. This event would, eventually, give rise to our Solar System...</p><p>Listen to the podcast version of this episode here or <a target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/gjVhVosSeRc">watch the video version</a>!</p><p>Thanks for subscribing to The Cosmic Companion!</p><p></p><p>Clear skies!</p><p>James</p><p></p><p>VIP Subscribers! Leave us your comments below!</p><p></p><p><em>P.S. We are also going to be revamping this newsletter, offering two regular mailings a week - one for everyone, and one just for VIP members. More on that later!</em></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to The Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard at <a href="https://thecosmiccompanion.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">thecosmiccompanion.substack.com/subscribe</a>