Astronomers have identified a perplexing planetary system orbiting a red dwarf star, located 117 light-years away in the Lynx constellation. This unique system challenges traditional planet formation theories due to its unconventional arrangement of rocky and gaseous planets.
Using the European Space Agency’s Cheops space telescope, scientists observed that the system features two rocky planets and two gaseous ones. Notably, the fourth planet, which should theoretically be gaseous, is instead rocky, contradicting the widely accepted model of planet formation.
The study, led by Thomas Wilson of the University of Warwick, suggests the planets likely formed sequentially rather than simultaneously. This discovery could significantly alter our understanding of how planets, including potentially habitable ones, form in the universe.
(With inputs from agencies.)