back to article Stargazers spot first-ever planet forming in dusty disc

An international team of astronomers has spotted what appears to be the first sighting of a planet being born from stellar debris, possibly confirming theories about the origins of the Solar System protoplanet And the universe said, "Let there be a planet!" The proto-planet is forming from a huge disc of dust and space …

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  1. jai

    boffins with brains the size of planets

    and they can't come up with imaginative names for their telescopes.

    Still, I guess there's no time to waste on daft names when there's planets being created. I mean, 10 years will go past in a flash! if they're not careful.

    1. lglethal Silver badge
      Joke

      Re: boffins with brains the size of planets

      I thought it was just Aussies that couldnt come up with imaginative names...

      The Snowy Mountains

      The Great Sandy Desert

      The Brown Snake

      The Red Back Spider

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Aussie names

        You forgot XXXX for beer.

        1. Steven Roper
          Thumb Up

          Re: Aussie names

          Also Mount Lofty in Adelaide. Although I'd say we were being ironic with that one, since at only 727 m (2385 ft) it's barely deserving of the title of "mount", let alone "lofty"!

          But at least we call a spade a spade...

          1. Wombling_Free
            Pint

            Re: Aussie names

            90-mile Beach

            Blue Mountains

            Shelly Beach

            Boat Harbour (no, really)

            Yep, the Smart Country alright.

            Also: I thought Fosters was 'strayn for 'Camel Piss'. Fosters exists only to make people drink VB; "nah, mate, I'd rather drink VB." XXXX is entirely palatable, favorably compared to a mid-range Budweiser.

        2. Rattus Rattus

          Re: XXXX for beer

          As an Aussie, let me correct you. XXXX is not beer, it translates most closely as "camel's urine".

          1. Magani
            Pint

            Re: XXXX for beer

            At least it's better than VB. :-)

      2. Stoneshop
        Coat

        Re: boffins with brains the size of planets

        thought it was just Aussies that couldnt come up with imaginative names...

        When dealing with a Brown Snake, thinking up an imaginative name is quite likely not the first thing on your mind. And if it was, it'd probably be the last.

        The name that would result would probably be Fucking Sodding Bastard Brown Snake anyway, or something along those lines

    2. rcorrect
      Boffin

      Re: boffins with brains the size of planets

      In the eyes of the universe 10 years isn't even the blink of an eye.

    3. Rodrigo Valenzuela

      Re: boffins with brains the size of planets

      Actually, the telescopes themselves are named in the Mapudungun language:

      ANTU (UT1; The Sun ),

      KUEYEN (UT2; The Moon ),

      MELIPAL (UT3; The Southern Cross ), and

      YEPUN (UT4; Venus - as evening star)

      https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/vlt/vlt-names.html

      R

    4. Dr Hotdog

      Re: boffins with brains the size of planets

      Astronomers generally reserve the 'imaginative' names for the scientific instruments attached to the telescopes, rather than the telescopes themselves, though there are a few exceptions. Acronyms are popular, there's a list of some of the worst here: https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~gpetitpas/Links/Astroacro.html

    5. Francis Boyle Silver badge

      Who needs an exciting name

      When they're "extremely large".

    6. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: boffins with brains the size of planets

      But remember these are German boffins.

      The telescope before the VLT used to test the new technology was called the "New Technology Telescope" = NTT. The naming of the individual telescopes was a public competition for schoolkids.

  2. Stevie

    Bah!

    Impossible. Until all that crap has been hoovered up, no matter how round, big or planety it looks, it ain't a planet. What we have here is a proto-dwarf planet, no matter how big it gets.

    "Scientists" say so.

    1. Mips
      Childcatcher

      Re: Bah!

      Any just how long do you think it will take before we find out?

      I'm not waiting round, just turning to dust.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Dear Mr God

    Enough already with the planets!

    We already have more than we can ever use.

    Land: who said they weren't making any more?

  4. davidp231

    I've got a million ideas and they all point to certain death.

    Careful.. you'll set Marvin off..

    Brain the size of a planet and I have to fetch the prisoners. How depressing" (or words to that effect..)

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