- Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet larger than Jupiter but incredibly light, similar to cotton candy.
- The planet, named WASP-193b, has an unusually low density compared to gas giants like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
- Lead author Khalid Barkaoui of MIT describes the planet as “super fluffy” due to its composition of mostly light gases rather than solids.
Astronomers have identified a planet larger than Jupiter, but surprisingly as fluffy and light as cotton candy.
The exoplanet has an extremely low density for its size, an international team reported Tuesday. The gas giants of our solar system – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune – are much denser.
“The planet is basically super fluffy” because it's made mostly of light gases rather than solids, lead author Khalid Barkaoui of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said in a statement.
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Scientists say an outlier like WASP-193b is ideal for studying unconventional planetary formation and evolution.
This illustration provided by NASA depicts the planet WASP 193-b. Scientists reported on May 14, 2024, that the exoplanet had such a low density for its size that it had the consistency of cotton candy. (NASA via AP)
The planet's presence was confirmed last year, but it took more time and work to determine its consistency based on observations by ground-based telescopes. It is believed to be mainly hydrogen and helium, according to the study published in Nature Astronomy.
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The planet is located about 1,200 light years away. One light year is 5.8 trillion miles. According to the researchers, it is the second lightest exoplanet discovered so far in terms of dimensions and mass.