Exoplanet without a sun found gobbling up 6 billion tons of gas and dust per second

image via Space.com

October 2, 2025, 12:04 PM

• •Cha 1107-7626 is a rogue planet, a free-floating world not bound to a star.
• •It is currently experiencing the strongest accretion episode ever recorded for a planetary-mass object.
• •The planet's growth is fueled by its magnetic field, similar to stars.
• •The discovery suggests rogue planets can grow like stars, changing disk chemistry during bursts.

Astronomers have observed a rogue planet, Cha 1107-7626, in the Chamaeleon constellation, exhibiting the strongest accretion episode ever recorded for a planetary-mass object. This free-floating planet is devouring gas and dust at an astonishing rate, six billion tons per second, fueled by a magnetic field and undergoing growth spurts. The discovery provides insights into the formation of rogue planets, blurring the lines between stars and planets. Scientists will use the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) to track down more of these lone planets and reveal their characteristics.

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