Scientists Discover Giant Planets Lighter Than Cotton Candy

Astronomers have identified two of the most unusual planets in the Universe. Although they are nearly equal to Jupiter in size, their density is so low that they are considered lighter than cotton candy.

Experts report that these planets orbit a star located approximately 1,110 light-years from Earth. According to scientific observations, they are recorded as the lightest planets of their kind discovered to date.

The discovery was made via NASA's TESS space telescope. After the planets were initially identified, their orbit and density were precisely calculated using a series of telescopes on Earth.

Scientists are calling these celestial bodies "super-puff" planets. This is because they consist primarily of hydrogen and helium gases, with an extremely light and bloated external structure.

While nearly 6,300 exoplanets have been confirmed outside the Solar System so far, fewer than 40 fall into this specific category. For comparison, Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, is nearly 35 times denser than these newly found planets.

Researchers believe that studying such planets helps enrich our understanding of how planets form and evolve in the Universe.