Astronomers say a planet that's bigger than Jupiter is surprisingly as fluffy and light as cotton candy
Astronomers have identified a planet that’s bigger than Jupiter yet surprisingly as fluffy and light as cotton candy. The exoplanet has exceedingly low density for its size, an international team reported Tuesday. The gas giants in our solar system — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune — are much denser.
The planet was confirmed last year, but it took extra time and work to determine its consistency based on observations by ground telescopes. It's thought to consist mostly of hydrogen and helium, according to the study published in Nature Astronomy. The planet is located some 1,200 light-years away. A light-year is 5.8 trillion miles. It's the second-lightest exoplanet found so far based on its dimensions and mass, according to the researchers.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
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