Second protoplanet found in WISPIT 2 system forming in a disk of material orbiting the young star

Star system: TYC 5709-354-1 | Distance from the Sun: 437 light years

WISPIT 2 is a young star surrounded by a multi-ringed disk, already known to host a giant planet, WISPIT 2b, in a wide gap. This study confirms the existence of a second planet, WISPIT 2c, using new imaging and spectroscopic data from the VLT/SPHERE and VLTI/GRAVITY instruments. The observations reveal a point-like source close to the star, with a K-band spectrum showing features typical of a young giant planet, including carbon monoxide absorption and a continuum shape matching planetary models.

Analysis of the spectrum constrains WISPIT 2c’s temperature to 1500–2600 K, its radius to 0.91–2.2 times that of Jupiter, and its luminosity to between -3.47 and -3.63 in log solar units. Evolutionary models suggest a mass of 8–12 Jupiter masses, making it about twice as massive as WISPIT 2b. The data also show slight orbital motion, confirming that WISPIT 2c is not a background object. WISPIT 2 is now one of the few systems, like PDS 70, where multiple young planets are directly observed forming within their birth disk, providing a valuable laboratory for studying planet formation.

Key findings
- WISPIT 2c is directly confirmed as a young giant planet embedded in its natal disk
- The planet’s temperature, radius, and luminosity are consistent with a mass of 8–12 Jupiter masses
- Spectroscopy shows features typical of young giant planets, including CO absorption
- Astrometry rules out a background source and detects slight orbital motion
- WISPIT 2 joins PDS 70 as a rare system with multiple directly imaged forming planets

Scientific study

Direct spectroscopic confirmation of the young embedded proto-planet WISPIT 2c (external link)