Astronomers Discover , Massive 'Forbidden Planet' , Orbiting Small, Dim Star.
CNN reports that astronomers have found an unusually large planet located about 280 light-years away from Earth.
The newly-discovered world, called TOI 5205b, orbits a relatively small star, given that the planet's unexpected size has led researchers to dub it the "forbidden planet." .
The planet, which was spotted by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), is roughly the same size as Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system.
NASA's planet-hunting TESS mission was launched in 2018, searching the nearest and brightest stars for potential planets orbiting them.
CNN reports that TESS has already discovered thousands of potential planets.
The planet orbits a red dwarf star, TOI-5205, which is about 40% of our sun's size and mass.
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It's also about 5,660 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature, which is much cooler than our sun's average of 9,980 degrees Fahrenheit.
Not only are these dim stars among the most common types of stars in the universe, they are also more likely to have planets orbiting them.
However, astronomers were surprised to find such a small star home to such a giant planet.
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The team's findings were published on February 21 in 'The Astronomical.'
