In December 2021, astronomers observed unprecedented fluctuations in the light of a star identified as ASASSN-21qj, located 1 800 light years away from Earth. Now, a study published in Nature suggests these fluctuations were the result of a colossal collision between two giant planets, potentially providing a rare opportunity to witness the birth of a new planet.<\/strong><\/p>\n Arttu Sainio, an amateur astronomer, noted that the star\u2019s infrared light emission had increased by approximately 4% around two and a half years prior to the observed dimming. Infrared light, typically emitted by objects at temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius, led researchers to investigate the connection between these two phenomena.<\/p>\n The team of astronomers suggested that a massive collision between two giant planets could account for both the infrared brightening and the subsequent dimming of ASASSN-21qj. Such giant impacts are not uncommon in the late stages of planetary formation and have been responsible for various features in our own solar system, like the tilt of Uranus and the existence of Earth\u2019s Moon.<\/p>\n Calculations indicate that the collision must have released an enormous amount of energy, sufficient to temporarily outshine the star itself. The resultant mass would have been hundreds of times larger than Earth, with an estimated temperature of around 700 \u00b0C (1 292 \u00b0F). NASA\u2019s WISE telescope had captured the infrared brightening, although it likely missed the initial burst of light due to its observation cycle of roughly 300 days.<\/p>\n![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/baO3OVJ66CQ\/hqdefault.jpg\")
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