Astronomers have discovered the earliest seeds of rocky planets forming in the gas around a baby sun-like star, providing a precious peek into the dawn of our solar system.

Astronomers have gotten one step closer to discovering how our solar system was created. An international research team revealed in a study Wednesday that they have captured a photo of the early stages of planets being formed around an infant star,

Purdue University’s Merel van ’t Hoff, a co-author, is eager to find more budding planetary systems. By casting a wider net, astronomers can look for similarities and determine which processes might be crucial to forming Earth-like worlds.