Jenifer (Zarknorph) said:

Scientists believe that for the first time they have been able to observe - within a huge disk of dense gas and dust surrounding a newly formed star - a planet in the process of being born.

Great and valuable news.

However, I cannot help thinking that a telescope in Chile is critically dependent on air travel as may never be the same again.

Its not just that individual seating will be substantially more expensive (spacing of passengers) it will never again enjoy the economies of scale created by vast numbers of people in cattle-class.