Scientists Find Millions of Jupiter-Mass Planets Could Form Near Black Holes
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Jun 14
Scientists Find Millions of Jupiter-Mass Planets Could Form Near Black Holes
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jun 14
Summary
Computer simulations suggest active galactic nuclei can produce millions of Jupiter-mass “dust giant” planets tens of parsecs from supermassive black holes, despite the extreme turbulence of those regions.
The team found the outer edges of AGN accretion disks may resemble planet-forming disks around young stars, where streaming instability lets dust gather into large filaments and rapidly build massive worlds.
Those planets appear stable in the model but would likely migrate outward from the black hole over time, potentially leaving clusters in the outskirts of the disk.
The result is still an early-stage theory based on a preprint, and researchers said direct confirmation may require rare gravitational-lensing observations of suitable AGNs.
If borne out, the finding would broaden planet formation from a handful of worlds around stars to potentially millions around a single supermassive black hole, while also helping explain poorly understood AGN outskirts.
Could millions of 'lava ball' planets orbiting black holes be the most common worlds in the universe?
Can the hearts of galaxies forge not just planets, but entirely new types of solid 'dust stars'?
From Black Hole Accretion Disks to Exoplanets: The Surprising Birthplaces of Millions of Worlds
Overview
Supermassive black holes, often seen as destructive cosmic monsters because they consume gas and dust, are now thought to also be possible birthplaces for millions of planets. Their accretion disks create extreme environments where intense gravitational friction generates immense heat, sometimes outshining entire galaxies. These disks are rich in gas and dust—the essential ingredients for planet formation. Recent research shows that, under the right conditions, these unique environments can actually help planets form, challenging our traditional ideas about where planets can exist in the universe.