Madyson Barber, a graduate astrophysics student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has discovered TIDYE-1b, the youngest transiting exoplanet ever observed, estimated to be around 3 million years old.

This gas giant is significantly younger than Earth, making it approximately 1,500 times younger, and has a diameter slightly smaller than Jupiter, with a mass about 0.4 times that of Jupiter.

The discovery was made using data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which detected the planet by observing a dip in starlight as it passed in front of its host star.

The existence of TIDYE-1b was verified by the TESS Science Office in April 2024, confirming its status as the youngest identified exoplanet through the transit method.

This discovery enhances our understanding of planetary formation timelines, suggesting that gas giants like TIDYE-1b may form more quickly than terrestrial planets such as Earth.

Researchers speculate that the warped disk could be a result of gravitational influences from a companion star or possibly due to the planet's migration disrupting the disk's orientation.

IRAS 04125+2902 b's observation was facilitated by a warped outer debris disk, allowing astronomers to study the planet without the usual obscuring materials found in young star systems.

The study of TIDYE-1b offers valuable insights into the early stages of planetary formation, providing a rare glimpse into the dynamics of young planetary systems.

The protoplanetary disk surrounding TIDYE-1b is notably warped, raising questions about the influences that may have shaped its formation, including potential interactions with a companion star.

Both discoveries challenge existing theories of planetary formation and are detailed in a paper published in the journal Nature.

Barber emphasized that discovering such young planets provides critical insights into planetary formation processes in real time.

In a related discovery, astronomers identified another young exoplanet, IRAS 04125+2902 b, located about 430 light-years away, which is also around 3 million years old and has a mass one-third that of Jupiter.