Tag: Jupiter's

A Jupiter-size exoplanet formed around a tiny star. Astronomers aren’t sure how
Science

A Jupiter-size exoplanet formed around a tiny star. Astronomers aren’t sure how

A massive, Jupiter-size planet has been found orbiting a relatively small, low-mass star, surprising astronomers and challenging theories on how planets form. The extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, orbits the red dwarf TOI-4860. Located in the constellation of Corvus, TOI-4860 has a mass equivalent to just around a third of the sun's. The exoplanet in question, aptly designated TOI-4860 b , falls close enough to the star to complete an orbit approximately once every 1.5 Earth days, classifying it as a "warm Jupiter." This is unusual for two reasons. First, with widths equivalent to about three-quarters of Jupiter's, planets like this one aren't supposed to form around low-mass stars. Second, TOI-4860 b seems to be enriched with a high proportion of metals  — a term astronomers use ...