Scientists Discover Two Planets Lighter Than Cotton Candy

Imagine a planet the size of Jupiter that weighs less than cotton candy. Scientists just found two of them orbiting a distant star, and they're the biggest super-puffs ever discovered.

The featherweight pair sits 1,110 light-years away in the southern constellation Volans. Despite their Jupiter-sized frames, these planets have densities comparable to shaving foam fresh from the can, according to University of Oxford researcher George Dransfield.

NASA's TESS satellite first spotted the puffy planets orbiting a Sun-like star called TOI-791. Researchers then used ground-based telescopes to study their orbits and calculate their remarkably low density. Jupiter, by comparison, is as much as 35 times denser than these cosmic lightweights.

The planets likely glow white or blue depending on their cloud cover, though scientists suspect they're mostly made of hydrogen and helium. NASA's Webb Space Telescope will take a closer look to confirm their chemical makeup.

Super-puffs are rare finds in our galaxy. Out of nearly 6,300 confirmed planets outside our solar system, fewer than 40 qualify as super-puffs. These unusual worlds form in regions around newborn stars where gas outnumbers dust, then shed most of their material over time.

Why This Inspires

Every strange planet we discover adds another piece to the cosmic puzzle. These cotton candy worlds show us that planets can form in ways we never imagined, expanding our understanding of what's possible in the universe.

The team published their findings in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society this week. By studying these rare planet types, scientists learn more about how planetary systems evolve and what makes Earth's place in the cosmos so special.

Finding these gentle giants reminds us that the universe still holds countless surprises waiting to be discovered.