These So-Called 'Super-Puff' Worlds Could Be Exoplanets with Rings

Astronomers investigate whether mysterious low-density planets are actually ringed planets that have been misunderstood.

By Erika K. Carlson
Nov 29, 2019 6:00 PM
exoplanet J1407b rings - Ron Miller
An artist's rendering of an exoplanet called J1407b passing in front of its parent star. Some astronomers think this world may have rings. (Credit: Ron Miller)

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As astronomers find more and more planets outside the solar system, they’re bound to come across some strange ones. They call one type of weird exoplanet “super-puffs” because their densities seem to be far lower than even the gas giants in our solar system. But astronomers aren't sure how such wispy planets could form. 

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