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 ...