Pakistan, July 16 -- Astronomers have observed the earliest stage of planet formation around a distant young star - for the first time ever. The baby star, called HOPS-315, is located about 1,300 light years away in the Orion Nebula and is similar to what our Sun looked like in its early years.

Planets form in discs of gas and dust that surround young stars, known as protoplanetary discs. Inside these discs, crystalline minerals-made of silicon monoxide-can start to stick together. Over time, these particles grow into planetesimals, which are the building blocks of planets.

Scientists found signs of these minerals starting to solidify around HOPS-315, marking the very first stage of planet formation. This is the first time such a proces...