January 01, 2025
Scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have discovered an approximately 6.5-billion-year-old exoplanet with a year duration of only 21 hours. The planet, named TOI-3261 b, is as large as Neptune and revolves around its star very closely. Scientists believe TOI-3261 b could have had properties akin to Jupiter initially; however, it experienced major changes over time. The planet’s atmosphere is believed to have had a mix of different elements previously and scientists plan on employing the James Webb Space Telescope to study it in infrared light to understand its structure.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are only three other planets with characteristics similar to TOI-3261 b that have been discovered to date.
Artist’s Conceptual Representation of TOI-3261 b | Image Source: nasa.gov
