An animation shows an intensifying flow of gas and dust as it falls on rogue planet Cha 1107-7626. ESO/L. Calçada, M. Kornmesser
Astronomers have observed a planet that in some ways behaves more like a star — including a massive growth spurt unlike anything witnessed before in a free-floating planet.
The rogue planet, which does not orbit any star, is called Cha 1107-7626 and is outside of our solar system, 620 light-years from Earth in the Chamaeleon constellation. A single light-year , or the distance light travels in one year, is equal to 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers).
The planet has a mass five to 10 times that of Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. And it’s getting bigger every second, according to new research published Thursday in The Astrophysi