Oudmaijer, René

Released on 2025-12-03

Abstract: Brussels, 3 December 2025 – By measuring the rate at which young stars grow, astronomers discovered that contrary to earlier expectations, young stars appear to grow much faster in the later stages of their formation than at the onset. So, much like humans, intermediate mass stars undergo a growth spurt and have a voracious appetite during their adolescence. This finding, reported by an international team led by Sean Brittain of Clemson University USA, and including René Oudmaijer of the Royal Observatory of Belgium, solves a long-standing problem with giant planets that are routinely detected around stars of intermediate mass, but should not exist.

Keyword(s): star formation
Links: link