In a discovery that reads more like science fiction than fact, astronomers have pinpointed a truly bizarre world approximately 1,200 light-years from Earth. Dubbed Wispit-2b, this exoplanet is a colossal gas giant with a density so astonishingly low it has been compared to a fluffy piece of cotton candy, defying conventional models of how planets form and evolve.
A Cosmic Anomaly in the Aquila Constellation
The planet orbits its host star within the constellation Aquila, completing an orbit in just 3.5 Earth days. Despite being nearly twice the width of our solar system's behemoth, Jupiter, Wispit-2b is incredibly lightweight. Its extreme fluffiness means its mass is a mere fraction of Jupiter's, presenting a profound puzzle for astrophysicists.
Challenging the Textbooks on Planetary Science
"This is the most surreal planet we have ever encountered," remarked one of the lead researchers. Its existence directly challenges established theories. A planet of this size should have accreted vast amounts of hydrogen and helium during its formation, resulting in a much higher density. Wispit-2b's composition suggests a radically different and poorly understood formation history.
The Hunt for Answers Continues
The discovery was made possible by meticulous observations from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Scientists now believe that intense internal heating from its close-orbiting star might be a factor, causing the planet's atmosphere to billow out to an incredible degree. Further analysis with the powerful James Webb Space Telescope is planned to probe the atmospheric composition of this enigmatic world and unlock the secrets of its cotton-candy-like structure.
