What's TOI-6894b that just showed up around a dwarf star only 2.5 times its size; here's why that's weird
Astronomers have made a discovery that challenges long-standing beliefs about how planets form. A gas giant planet, roughly the size of Saturn, has been found orbiting an unusually small red dwarf star. This rare pairing defies current models, which say small stars don't have enough material in their surrounding disks to form such large planets.
Named TOI-6894b, the planet was found about 241 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo. TOI-6894b is about 1.07 times the diameter of Saturn but has just over half its mass. This makes the planet very low in density, similar to that of a beach ball. Despite its large size, the planet orbits extremely close to its host star, completing a full revolution in just under three Earth days.
Also Read: Sun will die in 5 billion years but life could survive on Jupiter's moon Europa; here's how
The star it orbits, TOI-6894, is a red dwarf with only about 21% the mass of the Sun and roughly 250 times dimmer. In terms of physical size, the star is just 2.5 times wider than the planet itself, a remarkable size ratio rarely seen in planetary systems. The formation of such a large planet around such a small star has puzzled astronomers. According to the well-accepted 'core accretion' model, large planets are thought to grow from small rocky cores that gradually gather gas from the star's surrounding protoplanetary disk. But small, dim stars like red dwarfs are believed to have disks too thin and short-lived to form massive planets before the gas disappears.
Dr. Teruyuki Hirano, the lead researcher from the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in Japan, noted that this planetary system 'is completely inconsistent with what we thought we knew.' He said the discovery 'forces us to question our assumptions about planet formation.'
The planet was first flagged by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which detects periodic dips in starlight caused by planets passing in front of their stars. Follow-up observations using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) confirmed the planet's mass and orbit.
Also Read: Rare superorganism 'wormnadoes' caught on camera for the first time; what is it exactly?
More data will be needed to determine how TOI-6894b formed. Future observations by the James Webb Space Telescope could reveal more about its atmosphere and structure, including how much of it is made up of hydrogen and helium and whether it has a large core. Red dwarfs are the most common type of star in the Milky Way, making up about 75% of the stellar population. They're also seen as good candidates for hosting habitable planets due to their long lifespans. Discoveries like TOI-6894b suggest there's still much to learn about the diversity of planetary systems these stars may host.Though this is not the first time a massive planet has been found orbiting a small star, it is one of the most extreme examples yet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Your kid could outsmart AI one day if they have this mindset
In an era dominated by artificial intelligence, traditional markers of intelligence, like IQ, are losing their lustre. Machines now outperform humans in calculation, pattern recognition and even strategy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The classic IQ test — once the gold standard of intellectual capability — can hardly capture the skills that matter in a world where AI writes, predicts and solves faster than any human mind. What becomes invaluable instead is not raw intelligence, it is curiosity. Why curiosity, not IQ, will make or break your child's future in the age of AI A 2022 cognitive psychology study, The Relationship Between Curiosity, Fluid Intelligence, and Knowledge, revealed that being curious acts as a powerful memory enhancer as not only does curiosity improve retention of the information you were actively seeking but it also boosts your recall of incidental information learned alongside it. This underscores how curiosity primes the brain for deeper and more lasting learning. Parents must future-proof their kids brain as IQ is out, curiosity is in and it is the number one trait your child needs to beat the bots. A peer-reviewed study published in 2011 in Perspectives on Psychological Science presented intellectual curiosity — measured via the Typical Intellectual Engagement construct — as a core, independent predictor of academic achievement, alongside IQ and effort (conscientiousness). This meta-analysis suggested that curiosity is a robust predictor of academic success, comparable or superior to IQ and conscientiousness. It argued for elevating curiosity as a core academic asset, not just a nice-to-have personality trait. Is IQ becoming obsolete? The surprising truth about curiosity and intelligence (Image: TOI) Don't raise a genius. Raise a question-asker Your child's curiosity may matter more than intelligence as curiosity creates the ability to adapt — an important ability in the AI age. Technology moves so fast that last year's knowledge can become outdated knowledge within a few years and sometimes months. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Individuals with high IQ skills but low curiosity may perform well in an environment when the world remains static but they struggle when the frameworks change. Curiosity creates a development mindset. It calves us to explore emerging tools, new multidisciplinary ways of looking at a problem and new methods that may be outside the accepted norm, which helps find a solution in a time of rapid change. As per a 2011 study in Psychology Today, curiosity and conscientiousness were found to be more important than intelligence in predicting long-term academic and professional performance. Highlighted in popular media and backed by research, this perspective emphasizes that while intelligence matters, curiosity and the habit of follow-through (conscientiousness) are stronger long-term success drivers — especially in changing environments where adaptability and exploration matter more than rote knowledge. Has curiosity replaced IQ as the key to success in an AI-dominated world? Seen here, Science mela to ignite curiosity among rural kids (Image: TOI) As we pass through the door into the age of AI, the world will increasingly reward those who are insatiably curious over those who are merely intelligent. Curiosity is the compass that will navigate humanity through territories and oceans never before traversed — where AI can calculate the map, only the human mind may determine our ultimate destination. In this paradigm of discovery, the biggest asset is not never realising the depth of what you could know, but fully realising the depth of how much you are willing to pursue it.
Economic Times
13 hours ago
- Economic Times
Fossilized teeth in Ethiopia reveal two human ancestors coexisted 2.6 million years ago, including a potentially unknown species
Reuters Fossilized teeth unearthed in Ethiopia's Afar Region show early Homo and Australopithecus lived side by side 2.6 million years ago, hinting at a previously unknown species A groundbreaking discovery in Ethiopia's Afar Region has unveiled evidence that multiple human ancestor species coexisted approximately 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago, challenging traditional views of human evolution. The findings, published in the journal Nature, suggest a more complex and branching evolutionary history than previously understood. The excavation, part of the Ledi-Geraru Research Project, unearthed 13 fossilized teeth, 10 attributed to a previously unidentified species of Australopithecus and 3 to early members of the Homo genus. These discoveries indicate that at least five hominin species may have coexisted in eastern Africa during this period, including Homo, Australopithecus, and Paranthropus. The Australopithecus teeth found at the LD 750 and LD 760 sites exhibit distinct morphological features not seen in known species such as A. afarensis or A. garhi, suggesting the presence of a previously unknown lineage. This challenges the long-held belief that Australopithecus species had disappeared before the emergence of Homo. The three Homo teeth, dated between 2.78 and 2.59 million years ago, are consistent with early members of the Homo genus, such as Homo habilis. This supports the notion that Homo species were present in the region during the same timeframe as Australopithecus. The Afar Region's geological activity, including tectonic rifting and volcanic ash deposits, has preserved these fossils exceptionally well, allowing for precise dating and detailed morphological discovery underscores the complexity of human evolution, highlighting that multiple hominin species may have coexisted and interacted in overlapping environments. The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of our evolutionary history, moving beyond the simplistic linear models previously research and additional fossil discoveries are needed to fully comprehend the relationships and interactions among these ancient human ancestors.
Economic Times
18 hours ago
- Economic Times
Is there a Saturn-sized world hiding beside our nearest star? James Webb spots a new world next door
Synopsis Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope believe they may have found a Saturn-sized planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, one of the closest stars to Earth. The world, temporarily glimpsed in 2024, vanished from later Webb observations, sparking simulations to explain its disappearance. If real, it sits within the star's habitable zone, although as a gas giant it cannot support life directly. Still, its moons could. Confirmation would mark the closest planet ever directly imaged around a Sun-like star. NYT News Service An infrared image from the James Webb Space telescope, using a coronagraphic mask to block the bright glare from Alpha Centauri A (represented at center), that reveals a potential planet (circled at left) orbiting the star. Astronomers have found strong evidence that a gassy Jupiter-size world is orbiting Alpha Centauri A, one of three stars in the solar system closest to our own. (NASA via The New York Times) Scientists have announced signs of a possible new planet around Alpha Centauri A, part of the star system nearest to us. The candidate, informally named Alpha Centauri Ab, would orbit in the habitable zone, where liquid water could exist. The find was made using the James Webb Space Telescope in August 2024. Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument, equipped with a coronagraph to block out starlight, revealed a faint object orbiting at around twice the Earth–Sun distance. At that separation, a planet could be warm enough for water, a tantalising prospect so close to home. What complicates the story is that the planet seemed to vanish. Webb picked up the faint signal in 2024 but saw nothing in follow-up observations in February and April 2025.'We are faced with the case of a disappearing planet!' said Aniket Sanghi of the California Institute of Technology, who led the study. His team ran computer models of millions of possible orbits to see what might explain the signal. 'We found that in half of the possible orbits simulated, the planet moved too close to the star and wouldn't have been visible to Webb in both February and April 2025,' Sanghi models also lined up with a 2019 detection by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, which adds weight to the idea that this planet might be real, simply slipping in and out of view as it traces an elliptical path around its star. Webb's data points to a world about the size of Saturn. Unlike Earth, it would be a gas giant, and so not directly habitable. But astronomers note that large moons around such planets could, in theory, provide conditions suitable for Beichman of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory described the potential significance. 'This would become a touchstone object for exoplanet science, with multiple opportunities for detailed characterisation by Webb and other observatories,' he Centauri is not just any star system. Sitting about four light years away, it is the nearest trio of stars to us, made up of Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and Proxima Centauri. Proxima already has known planets, one of which orbits in its habitable zone, but this new candidate would be the closest planet ever directly imaged around a Sun-like star. That makes it a prime target for studying how planetary systems form and evolve near stars like our system itself is tricky to observe. Alpha Centauri A and B sit close together, their light overlapping. Untangling faint planetary signals from the glare of two bright stars is a technical feat, and part of the reason astronomers tread carefully before declaring this a confirmed case is not closed. With Webb's observations limited by the timing of its view and the planet's possible orbit, astronomers will need more chances to watch Alpha Centauri A. If the planet exists, it should eventually emerge again from the star's upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, expected to launch in 2027, could add critical evidence by providing visible-light observations to complement Webb's infrared now, the world nearest to us remains a mystery. A Saturn-sized neighbour in the habitable zone of Alpha Centauri A might be waiting to be confirmed. As Sanghi put it, the planet may have slipped from sight, but if it is real, it should reveal itself again in the years ahead.
