Astronomers have discovered two enormous exoplanets with densities lower than cotton candy, marking the largest known “super-puff” planets identified to date and offering new clues about how unusual worlds form beyond our solar system.
The two giant planets, which are similar in size to Jupiter but far less dense, orbit a star located about 1,110 light-years away in the southern constellation Volans, also known as the flying fish. Researchers said the planets have densities comparable to a light foam or shaving cream, making them among the most unusual planetary bodies discovered.
The findings were reported by a team led by astronomer George Dransfield of the University of Oxford and published Wednesday in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
“These two planets have densities comparable to a nice blob of shaving foam, fresh from the can,” Dransfield said, describing the extremely low-density worlds.
The planets were first detected using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which searches for planets outside the solar system by observing small changes in the brightness of stars when planets pass in front of them.
Researchers later studied the planets’ orbits using ground-based telescopes to determine their size and density. Their measurements showed that the planets are much less compact than Jupiter, which is up to 35 times denser than these newly identified super-puff worlds.
Despite their enormous size, the planets are believed to be composed mostly of lightweight gases such as hydrogen and helium. Scientists suspect their appearances could range from white to blue depending on the composition and cloud conditions of their atmospheres, rather than resembling the pink color often associated with cotton candy.
The team said further observations using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope could help confirm the planets’ chemical makeup and provide more information about their unusual atmospheres.
Super-puff planets are considered rare because their extremely low densities make them difficult to explain through traditional models of planet formation. Scientists believe these planets may have formed in the gas-rich disks of dust and material surrounding young stars, where they initially collected large amounts of gas before losing some of their outer layers over time.
NASA has confirmed nearly 6,300 exoplanets outside the solar system, but fewer than 40 are classified as super-puffs, according to Dransfield.
Researchers said studying rare planetary systems helps scientists better understand how planets develop and how different types of worlds emerge throughout the universe.
“Ultimately, by studying exotic systems containing rare planet types, we add further pieces to the puzzle of planet formation and learn more about our place in the cosmos,” Dransfield said.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
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