Scientists have discovered a Jupiter-like “forbidden planet” about 285 light-years from our solar system. The newly discovered gas giant was uncovered by astronomers using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) instrument and has been named TOI 5205b.
This planet is called the “forbidden planet” because it has caused many scientists to tinker with it and search for answers. That’s because the gas giant, which is roughly the same size as Jupiter, orbits its star in less than three days.
The planet does not fit our current models of planet formation. According to our current models, a planet like TOI 5205b should not form around a low-mass star as it orbits. Instead, it should require much higher-mass stars. However, as it appears to exist, our planetary models must be updated.
It’s not the first time that new discoveries have changed everything we thought we knew about our universe and how its various parts were formed. New discoveries made by the James Webb space telescope continue to challenge what scientists have believed for years. So the discovery of this forbidden planet is not at all incredible.
As humanity explores more and more space, what we discover is expected to continue to change and shape the models we currently have about our universe. But that’s not a bad thing, because it helps us connect the dots and create a clearer picture of how our universe was formed and where it’s going from here.
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