A “forbidden planet” has been found outside our solar system

The newly discovered planet is about the same size as Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. It’s called TOI 6205b or as the researchers at the Carnegie Institution for Science, somewhat more inspiringly, call it: the “forbidden planet,” reports CNN.

The planet got its nickname because it should not be able to exist. The star around which it revolves is only four times more massive than the planet, both of which are much smaller and cooler than our Sun, which is called a red dwarf.

– It’s about four times the size of Jupiter, but it somehow managed to create a planet the size of Jupiter, which is surprising, says study author Shubham Kanodia in a statement.

It challenges prior knowledge

It was thought that such stars could not host such large planets. But the discovery of TOI 6205b challenges what was thought to be known about how planets form.

Stars are formed from huge clouds of gas and dust in space. The material left over from star formation creates a spinning disk around the star where planets are born.

– At first, if there wasn’t enough rocky material in the disk to form the original core, you couldn’t form a gas giant (planet). And in the end, if the disk evaporates before the massive core forms, you can’t form a gas giant either. However TOI-5205b was formed. Based on our current understanding of planet formation, it shouldn’t exist. Shubham Kanodia says it is a “forbidden” planet.

The researchers now want to continue studying the planet with the help of the powerful James Webb telescope. The observations made have led to the suspicion that TOI-5205b is not the only forbidden planet out there.

– While she definitely stands out, she’s not the only one, according to Shubham Kanodia.

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