Scientists find gigantic 'super-puff' planets lighter than candy floss

Key Points:

• Astronomers have discovered two "super-puff" exoplanets, TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, located 1,100 light-years from Earth, which are similar in size to Jupiter but have extremely low densities comparable to shaving foam.
• These planets have densities 28 to 35 times lower than Jupiter, making them less dense than water and likely composed mainly of hydrogen and helium atmospheres with relatively small cores.
• TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c orbit a yellow-white dwarf star and exhibit a rare orbital resonance pattern, with the inner planet completing five orbits for every three of the outer planet.
• The planets were identified using NASA data by citizen scientists and further studied via observations from the Antarctic Search for Transiting ExoPlanets telescope, benefiting from the unique conditions in Antarctica.
• Due to their extreme fluffiness and lack of a solid surface, these super-puffs are unlikely to support life, and their rare characteristics provide valuable insight into planetary formation in gas-rich regions of protoplanetary disks.