Meet GI 410 b: Newly discovered puffy sub-Neptune planet orbiting Sun-like star

Neptune-size worlds may be more likely to form in the icy outer reaches of planetary systems than other kinds of planets. (Image: NASA)

The discovery of new planets is always thrilling. This time, scientists have found an unusual planet orbiting a nearby star. GI 410 b, the newly discovered planet, falls in the sub-Neptune class and is larger than Earth.

Radial velocity was employed to establish the discovery on April 4. This technique, often termed the Doppler method, tracks the motions of small stars. When a planet exerts pressure on its star, these small changes occur. Over 600 planets have already been found with this method.

The SPIRou instrument was used by scientists on a telescope in Hawaii. It observes GI 410 and similar near-infrared stars. There was more data from the French optical spectrograph SOPHIE. It made the process simpler to conclusively verify the existence of the planet.

Our knowledge of GI 410b

The weight of GI 410 b is approximately 8.5 times the weight of Earth. It does not transit because its radius seems to be fixed. This means that the planet does not pass in front of its star. Therefore, traditional detection methods would not work in this case.

Our Earth is approximately 39 light years away from GI 410. It's a cold, faint star and half the mass of the Sun. It's about the same temperature as 3,842 Kelvin. In star years, it is young at only 480 million years of age.

Indications that there are other planets in the system

Two other planets in the surrounding area showed signs of being there, scientists have found. Their orbits look to be 18.7 and 2.99 days. Yet more evidence is needed to confirm these. The team has already mapped out follow-up studies.

The discovery marks a new chapter in our search for the universe. And GI 410b might just be the beginning.