Planets survived birth in harsh, stormy star cluster, study says

Astronomers peering at stellar data from the Kepler space telescope have discovered a surprising find: two planets smaller than Neptune that appear to have formed even in the harsh, unwelcoming environment of a star cluster. The discovery, published in the journal Nature, may show that planetary systems are more robust – and far more common – than previously thought.



via L.A. Times - Science http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/ASqo3HKb8Ww/la-sci-sn-two-planets-star-cluster-common-20130626,0,3414763.story