HR 8799 is situated approximately 129 light years from Earth in Pegasus constellation, with an age of around three million years and a mass estimated at one-and-a-half times that of the Sun. It was among the first multi-planet systems to be directly imaged by telescopes; it's known for having at least four massive planets (Jupiter-like), each roughly five to ten times more massive than Jupiter.

Giant planets form through two different processes: core accretion, where a solid nucleus containing heavier elements gradually attracts gas; and disk instability, wherein molecules of gases rapidly merge as the material disc around stars cools. Understanding which model is more common can help scientists classify galactic planetary systems with greater precision.

Recently, researchers from Johns Hopkins University used James Webb Space Telescope to study HR 8799's gaseous giant planets directly, detecting significant amounts of carbon dioxide in their atmospheres as well as the presence of heavier elements such as carbon and oxygen. This supports models suggesting these planets formed through core accretion processes.

Carbon Dioxide is crucial for life on Earth; its detection makes it an indicator when searching for extraterrestrial life. The new study proves that formation methods of distant gaseous giants might be similar to those in our solar system's gas giant planets, examining the similarities between other systems and ours can help us determine whether our own Solar System is unique or typical.

(Lead image source: James Webb Space Telescope website)