NASA's James Webb spots fourth 'cotton candy exoplanet' in sweet 'super puff' star system

Kepler-51e joins three other planets orbiting the same star. These planets are "super puffs," meaning they have low mass and density. (Image: Canva)

Astronomers have uncovered a fourth planet in the Kepler-51 system, using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This strange new world adds to a group of "super puff" planets, known for their unusually light, cotton-candy-like structure. This discovery, located 2,615 light-years away, has left researchers eager to unravel the mysteries of these unique planets.

A Surprising Discovery
The team, led by Penn State and Osaka University, was investigating Kepler-51d. They expected a transit, or a passage across its star, at 2 a.m. EDT in June 2023. However, they found the planet had already passed, two hours earlier than expected.

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This unexpected early transit puzzled the researchers, as no adjustments to their model could explain the discrepancy. They then realised that a fourth planet, Kepler-51e, was responsible for the shift in orbits, causing the early transit. This marks the first discovery made through transit timing variations using JWST.

Understanding the "Super Puff" Planets
Kepler-51e joins three other planets orbiting the same star. These planets are "super puffs," meaning they have low mass and density. Their light, puffy atmospheres, made mostly of hydrogen or helium, give them the appearance of cotton candy.

A diagram illustrates a planet transiting its parent star. (Image: NASA/ESA)

The new planet’s orbit is slightly larger than Venus’s, and its mass seems similar to the other three planets. While Kepler-51e may be another super puff, further observations are necessary to confirm its exact nature.

Unanswered Questions Awaiting Further Exploration
The discovery of Kepler-51e complicates the task of explaining how such planets formed in the same system. “Super puff planets are rare,” said Jessica Libby-Roberts of Penn State. “Finding three, now four, in the same system is extraordinary.”

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Researchers plan to continue studying the system, looking for more potential planets. Understanding these strange worlds could reveal new insights into planetary formation and the potential for life beyond Earth.

The team published their findings on 3 December in the Astronomical Journal. Continued observations could uncover even more planets in this unusual system.