NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured the largest protoplanetary disk ever observed

This Hubble Space Telescope image shows the largest planet-forming disk ever observed around a young star. (Image: NASA/ESA/STScI/Kristina Monsch)

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has revealed the largest known birthplace of planets ever observed. The discovery shows a massive disk of gas and dust swirling around a young star. Scientists describe the scene as chaotic, violent and unpredictable.

It challenges long-held ideas about how planetary systems form. This cosmic structure is unlike anything astronomers have seen before. Its size alone has stunned researchers worldwide.

The disk surrounds a young star called IRAS 23077+6707. It lies about 1,000 light-years from Earth. Astronomers nicknamed the system “Dracula’s Chivito” due to its dramatic appearance. The disk stretches nearly 400 billion miles across which is roughly 40 times larger than our solar system’s Kuiper Belt.

Most planet-forming disks appear relatively calm and organised. This one looks wild and unstable, even by cosmic standards. Researchers did not expect such a massive disk to remain so chaotic. It suggests planets can form under far more extreme conditions.

The uneven patterns challenge existing models of planetary formation. Astronomers are now questioning how early solar systems develop under turbulence. Studying this disk could reveal hidden forces shaping planets in violent environments.

Unlike neat, flat disks seen elsewhere, this one is distorted and uneven. Streams of dust rise far above and below the disk’s centre. Some structures appear on only one side, defying symmetry. This suggests powerful forces are shaping the system.

Scientists believe intense gravity, radiation and turbulence are at work. For scientists, this discovery proves one thing clearly. The universe still forms worlds in ways we are only beginning to understand.

Astronomers think this disk may resemble an early, exaggerated version of our solar system. Studying it offers a rare glimpse into how planets emerge from disorder. It shows planet formation may be messier and more violent than believed. Hubble’s findings open new questions about how common such systems are.