Exoplanet is Fluffy as Cotton Candy, Researchers Say

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (NEWSnet/AP) — Astronomers have identified a planet that’s larger than Jupiter, but as fluffy as cotton candy.
The exoplanet, WASP-193b, has extremely low density for its size, an international team said Tuesday. The gas giants in our solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, are much more dense.
The planet is “super fluffy,” because it’s comprised mostly of light gas rather than solids, lead author Khalid Barkaoui of Massachusetts Institute of Technology said.
Scientists say an outlier like WASP-193b is ideal for studying unconventional planetary formation and evolution. The planet’s existence was confirmed in 2023, but it took additional time to determine its consistency based on observations by ground telescopes.
The planet is located 1,200 light-years away, or 5.8 trillion miles.
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