Galway astronomer Chloe Lawlor has led an international team in the discovery of a remarkable new planet, WISPIT 2c — a young gas giant estimated to be just five million years old and ten times the mass of Jupiter.
Chloe, who spoke at the 2025 Mayo Dark Sky Festival along with Dr. Christian Ginski and Chloe’s fellow PhD student Jake Byrne, made the discovery as part of her PhD research with colleagues across Europe. The find builds on the team’s earlier identification of WISPIT 2b, placing both planets in one of only two known young multi-planet systems ever observed.
Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, the team confirmed the planet by analysing its atmospheric “chemical fingerprint,” detecting carbon monoxide – a key indicator of a young planet.
Located in the constellation Aquila, visible from the northern hemisphere in late summer and autumn, WISPIT 2c is especially exciting for scientists. Its size, proximity to its host star, and youth offer a rare window into how massive planets form and evolve – processes that ultimately shaped our own Solar System.
Chloe’s growing impact in the field of astronomy is something we’re proud to celebrate, and her continued connection to the Mayo Dark Sky Festival highlights the inspiring work being shared under our dark skies.
For the full article, see https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0324/1564950-galway-astronomer-planet/
