Scientists have discovered a new huge cotton candy-like, super fluffy, and lightweight planet.
According to CBS News, the study published in the journal Nature Astronomy on Tuesday, May 14, scientists found a WASP-193b exoplanet, which means it is located outside of our solar system.
Researchers noted that the planet is 50 percent larger than the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter, but seven times less massive.
Study co-author Julien de Wit said in a news release, “The planet is so light that it's difficult to think of an analogous, solid-state material. The reason why it's close to cotton candy is because both are pretty much air. The planet is basically super fluffy."
As per researchers, extremely low density makes WASP-193b an anomaly among more than 5,000 exoplanets scientists have discovered to date.
The lead author of the study, Khalid Barkaoui, called the new planet a ‘cosmic mystery.’
Francisco Pozuelos, author of the study and astronomer, stated, “We don't know where to put this planet in all the formation theories we have right now because it's an outlier of all of them. We cannot explain how this planet was formed."
Scientists use the term ‘Super-puffs’ to refer to cotton candy-like density exoplanets; however, NASA believes nothing like them exists in our solar system.
