Astronomers Discover Elias 2 24 b, the Youngest Known Exoplanet

In the Rho Ophiuchi star-forming region, astronomers found exoplanet Elias 2 24 b, less than a million years old, the youngest known. It is 450 light-years from Earth, orbits an orange dwarf, and is comparable in mass to Jupiter.

• Planet age is under 1 million years; it is still gaining mass
• Distance to Earth is about 450 light-years
• Mass is comparable to Jupiter
• Previously known young planets are older than 5 million years