Astronomers discover new ‘fluffy’ planet destroying itself in stellar orbit

Being hit by intense high-energy radiation spells trouble for HIP 67522 b. (Image: NASA)

Sometimes, the universe writes its own tragedies—and scientists just discovered one. A newly identified planet, HIP 67522 b, is living fast and may die young.

A Fiery Bond With Its Star

The planet orbits its star in just seven days. That's one of the shortest years astronomers have ever recorded. It’s so close that it appears to spark intense flares on its host star, heating the planet’s thin atmosphere.

Researchers from the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland made the discovery. Led by Ekaterina Ilin of the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, the team used NASA’s TESS and ESA’s CHEOPS telescopes. They observed powerful flares triggered by the planet's tight orbit.

(Image: ESA)

The host star, HIP 67522, is slightly larger and cooler than our Sun. But unlike our middle-aged star, this one is just 17 million years old. It hosts two planets, with HIP 67522 b being the closer one.

Fluffy Giant at Risk of Collapse

HIP 67522 b is similar in size to Jupiter but far less dense. With a structure as wispy as candy floss, it is among the lightest exoplanets found so far.

NASA says the planet interacts with its star’s magnetic field. That connection likely causes the flares, which then bounce radiation back onto the planet. The added energy is inflating and heating its already fragile atmosphere.

Astronomers using the European Space Agency’s Cheops mission have spotted a tightly orbiting exoplanet that appears to spark radiation flares from its host star. (Image: ESA)

The result could be devastating. The planet is losing mass faster than expected. Over the next 100 million years, scientists believe it may shrink from a Jupiter-sized giant to a smaller Neptune-like world.

Scientists Say It's a 'Planet With a Death Wish'

The study marks the first real evidence of a planet believed to be self-destructing. While such theories date back to the 1990s, the energy levels now observed are about 100 times higher than earlier predictions.

Ekaterina Ilin explained the process: “The planet seems to be triggering particularly energetic flares. The waves it sends along the star’s magnetic field lines kick off flares at specific moments.”

“But the energy of the flares is much higher than the energy of the waves. We think the waves are setting off explosions that are waiting to happen,” she added.

This unusual stellar interaction may offer new insights into how planets evolve—or vanish—in their early years. HIP 67522 b, for now, remains a soft giant clinging to life under a star that might love it too much.