How and when did the first planets form in our universe?

While conducting a survey of metal-poor or very ancient stars, astronomers discovered one of the oldest planetary systems known so far. Astronomers hope to use this system to begin to understand how and when the first planets formed in our universe.

In late March, 2012, European astronomers announced that they had discovered a planetary system around a metal-poor star, that is, a star containing mainly hydrogen and helium, the two ingredients thought to have been present at the Big Bang. In other words, this star and its two Jupiter-sized planets appear to be survivors from the extremely early universe. The star is HIP 11952, and it’s not the only very ancient star known to have planets. But, at an estimated age of 12.8 billion years, this exoplanet system is one of the oldest systems known so far.