A Galway-based student has led researchers to the discovery of a new planet after originally thinking she had spotted a large clump of dust. At about 5 million years old, the newly discovered planet, which they named WISPIT 2c, is considered young and still forming. Very Large Telescope images of two planets (WISPIT 2b and the newly discovered WISPIT 2c) forming around the young star WISPIT 2. Both young planets are orbiting a young star named WISPIT 2. “We very quickly made follow-up observations using the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, an incredible set-up where multiple telescopes can be connected to form a large virtual telescope,” Lawlor said.

Source: The Irish Times March 24, 2026 14:34 UTC