Groundbreaking discovery challenges existing theories of planetary formation
Indian scientists have made a stunning breakthrough by identifying an enormous alien planet—78 times the size of Earth. This exoplanet, orbiting a distant star, has sparked global excitement in the scientific community and is reshaping our understanding of planetary evolution. With unique atmospheric conditions and a possible rocky core, the discovery raises new questions about the formation of massive worlds beyond our Solar System, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
This colossal planet could unlock secrets of space and planetary migration.
Researchers at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad identified the exoplanet, TOI-6038A b, which falls under the sub-Saturn category—larger than Neptune but smaller than Saturn. The planet completes a full revolution around its F-type host star in just 5.83 days. Unlike anything in our Solar System, this discovery is an exciting development in exoplanet research.
India’s super telescope helped spot this planet 3,200 light-years away.
The discovery was made possible using PARAS-2, a state-of-the-art spectrograph mounted on a 2.5-meter telescope at PRL’s Mount Abu Observatory
This marks India’s fifth exoplanet discovery, reinforcing the country’s growing expertise in space exploration. TOI-6038A b was detected by observing the wobble of its host star, caused by the planet’s gravitational influence. Scientists found that nearly 75% of the planet’s mass consists of a dense rocky core, making it a rare and intriguing celestial object.
Adding to the excitement, TOI-6038A b orbits within a binary star system, meaning its primary host star has a companion, TOI-6038B. The two stars are separated by 3,217 AU—a vast distance compared to Pluto’s mere 40 AU from the Sun. ISRO believes studying this system could refine theories of planetary migration, making this exoplanet an ideal candidate for future research.
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