Archive · 5 Jun 2025
Scientists Discover Giant Planet Orbiting Small Star in Milky Way
Imagine a tiny star, much smaller than our sun, and a giant planet orbiting it!
Scientists have found exactly that.
This planet, named TOI-6894b, is bigger than Saturn but weighs less.
It zips around its star in just three days!
What's super cool is that the planet is much cooler than most planets found outside our solar system, allowing scientists to possibly detect new chemicals in its atmosphere, like ammonia.
This discovery is exciting because it helps scientists understand how planets are made, and how many more giant planets may exist.
It may also help us learn how our own solar system was formed.
Astronomers discovered a gas giant planet orbiting the small star TOI-6894.
The planet, TOI-6894b, is bigger than Saturn but has only half its mass.
TOI-6894b orbits its star every three days.
The planet is cooler than most exoplanets, with a temperature under 150°C.
Scientists plan to use the James Webb Space Telescope to learn more about the planet.
- Who
- A team of international astronomers made the discovery, observing with the TESS space telescope and ground-based telescopes.
- What
- Scientists discovered a giant planet orbiting a small star.
- When
- The discovery was announced recently, with findings published in 'Nature Astronomy'.
- Where
- The planet orbits the small star TOI-6894 in the Milky Way galaxy.
- Why
- The discovery will help scientists understand planet formation and estimate the number of giant planets in the galaxy.
- Star Name
- TOI-6894
- Planet Name
- TOI-6894b
- Star Type
- Red Dwarf
- Star Mass
- About 20% of Sun's mass
- Planet Radius
- Slightly larger than Saturn
- Planet Mass
- Half the mass of Saturn
- Orbital Period
- Every three days
- Planet Temperature
- Under 150°C