Astronomers have observed the earliest stages of rocky planet formation around a young sun-like star, HOPS-315, offering a rare glimpse into the dawn of planetary systems like our own.

Using NASA’s Webb Telescope and the European Southern Observatory, they detected solid particles and minerals in the star’s gas disk, marking the first direct evidence of planets beginning to form.

This discovery suggests that the processes that led to Earth’s formation may be common in the universe, the Associated Press has reported.

Researchers hope to find more such systems to better understand how Earth-like planets develop.

Written by B.C. Begley