Astronomy! Meet The Giant Exoplanet As Light As Styrofoam — Larger Than Jupiter And About 320 Light-Years From Earth

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 09/01/2025 at 17:43

Updated on 09/01/2025 at 17:44

Foto: Robinson/Universidade Lehigh

Be the first to react!

Astronomy Scholars Discovered a Giant Exoplanet, Larger Than Jupiter, But Surprisingly Light, With Density Comparable to

Imagine a planet so light that its density is comparable to that of Styrofoam, so close to its star that its temperatures reach extreme levels and with an atmosphere full of exotic compounds that seem to defy the logic of astronomy.

This is the exoplanet KELT-11b, which was discovered in 2016 using the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope (KELT).

According to scholars in astronomy, the planet is classified as a highly inflated gas giant, belonging to the category of “Hot Jupiters“.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Orbit and Atmospheric Conditions

The planet completes an orbit around its star in just 4.7 days, at an average distance of 0.06229 AU. This proximity results in high atmospheric temperatures, estimated at around 1,712 K (1,439 °C), which causes its atmosphere to expand remarkably.

Observations made in 2022 by the CHEOPS space telescope, from the European Space Agency (ESA), allowed for precise measurements of the planet’s radius, estimated at 181,600 km, with a margin of error under 4,300 km.

These measurements are five times more accurate than those previously made with ground-based instruments.

Atmospheric Composition

The atmosphere of KELT-11b has attracted significant attention from scientists due to its unique chemical composition and characteristics.

Spectroscopic studies conducted in 2023 identified the presence of water vapor in subsolar amounts, in addition to elements such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and titanium and aluminum oxides.

Furthermore, sodium was detected, reinforcing the chemical complexity of the atmosphere.

Analyses also indicate that the atmosphere of KELT-11b is predominantly cloud-free, allowing for efficient heat redistribution between the day side and the night side of the planet.

This is particularly interesting for studies of energy transfer in atmospheres of exoplanets close to their stars.

Misaligned Orbit and Spectroscopic Astronomy Studies

Another intriguing aspect is KELT-11b’s misaligned orbit relative to the equator of its star. Observations made in 2022 estimated a projection angle of -77.86 degrees, indicating that the planet has a significantly inclined trajectory.

This misalignment may offer clues about the gravitational dynamics of the planetary system and the processes involved in the formation and evolution of the planet.

Scientific Importance and Future Studies

KELT-11b is considered a natural laboratory for atmospheric characterization, especially due to its proximity to a bright star.

The planet’s low density facilitates spectroscopic analysis of its atmosphere, making it one of the best candidates for detailed studies with the next generation of space telescopes, such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The combination of high temperature, exotic atmospheric composition, and misaligned orbit makes KELT-11b a valuable object for investigating the formation of gas giants and their interactions with their host stars.

Astronomy! Meet The Giant Exoplanet As Light As Styrofoam — Larger Than Jupiter And About 320 Light-Years From Earth

Astronomy Scholars Discovered a Giant Exoplanet, Larger Than Jupiter, But Surprisingly Light, With Density Comparable to

Orbit and Atmospheric Conditions

Atmospheric Composition

Misaligned Orbit and Spectroscopic Astronomy Studies

Scientific Importance and Future Studies

The Soviet Union spent 22 years drilling into the Earth’s crust and reached a depth of 12,262 meters — they found water where it was thought impossible, hydrogen bubbling from the rock, granite that is 2.7 billion years old, and temperatures of 180 degrees that melted the drill bits.

Norway is drilling 27 kilometers of rock 392 meters below the bottom of a fjord to build the world’s largest and deepest underwater road tunnel — when completed, a 21-hour journey will be reduced to 10.

The island that has 35 inhabitants and celebrates Christmas on January 6: the remote island of Foula lives in isolation, without internet and following Julius Caesar’s calendar for centuries.

A German architect built a cylindrical house in 1994 that rotates to follow the sun throughout the day, generates 5 times more energy than it consumes, and was the world’s first energy-positive house.

After 14 years of construction and a diplomatic crisis that nearly led to a military confrontation over control of the Nile, Ethiopia inaugurated the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa — the dam is 170 meters high, holds 74 billion cubic meters of water, and generates 5,150 megawatts.

China has just successfully tested the world’s first ground effect maritime vehicle, a craft that flies up to 6 meters above the water at 200 km/h, uses quantum technology and 6G communication, and can rescue patients in the middle of the ocean.

Technology that creates images in the air without a physical screen is already advancing in universities and companies, promises to transform cell phones, computers, and TVs into invisible interfaces, and could forever change the way we use devices in our daily lives.

Starting from R$ 32,000: 5 used automatic cars offer up to 155 hp, CVT and 6-speed transmissions, fuel economy of up to 11 km/l, a 525-liter trunk, and fully-equipped versions with 6 airbags and 4×4.

Scientists discover that procrastination is not laziness: 2026 study reveals EV-PV circuit that blocks motivation, exposes conflict between the limbic system and prefrontal cortex, and points to a direct relationship with anxiety and fear of failure.

Brazil has 90% of the world’s production of a fundamental rare metal, used in airplanes, batteries, electric cars, and high-strength steel, but why isn’t the country getting rich from it?

Gramado Mineira enchants at an altitude of 1,500 meters with more than a thousand residents, a chapel from 1762, temperatures as low as 6°C, a population that sextuples on holidays, and hidden waterfalls 120 km from Belo Horizonte.

Astronomy! Meet The Giant Exoplanet As Light As Styrofoam — Larger Than Jupiter And About 320 Light-Years From Earth

Astronomy Scholars Discovered a Giant Exoplanet, Larger Than Jupiter, But Surprisingly Light, With Density Comparable to

Orbit and Atmospheric Conditions

Atmospheric Composition

Misaligned Orbit and Spectroscopic Astronomy Studies

Scientific Importance and Future Studies

The Soviet Union spent 22 years drilling into the Earth’s crust and reached a depth of 12,262 meters — they found water where it was thought impossible, hydrogen bubbling from the rock, granite that is 2.7 billion years old, and temperatures of 180 degrees that melted the drill bits.

Norway is drilling 27 kilometers of rock 392 meters below the bottom of a fjord to build the world’s largest and deepest underwater road tunnel — when completed, a 21-hour journey will be reduced to 10.

The island that has 35 inhabitants and celebrates Christmas on January 6: the remote island of Foula lives in isolation, without internet and following Julius Caesar’s calendar for centuries.

A German architect built a cylindrical house in 1994 that rotates to follow the sun throughout the day, generates 5 times more energy than it consumes, and was the world’s first energy-positive house.

After 14 years of construction and a diplomatic crisis that nearly led to a military confrontation over control of the Nile, Ethiopia inaugurated the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa — the dam is 170 meters high, holds 74 billion cubic meters of water, and generates 5,150 megawatts.

China has just successfully tested the world’s first ground effect maritime vehicle, a craft that flies up to 6 meters above the water at 200 km/h, uses quantum technology and 6G communication, and can rescue patients in the middle of the ocean.

Technology that creates images in the air without a physical screen is already advancing in universities and companies, promises to transform cell phones, computers, and TVs into invisible interfaces, and could forever change the way we use devices in our daily lives.

Scientists discover that procrastination is not laziness: 2026 study reveals EV-PV circuit that blocks motivation, exposes conflict between the limbic system and prefrontal cortex, and points to a direct relationship with anxiety and fear of failure.

Startup raises US$ 44.1 million to accelerate new drilling technology, promises to make deep geothermal viable on a large scale and wants to unlock faster, cheaper, and more efficient wells to expand clean energy generation worldwide.

The cold air mass that dropped temperatures in the South will be short-lived, and the weather will change again on Friday with a cold front bringing rain that could be heavy on Saturday in several regions of Rio Grande do Sul, MetSul warns.

Technology that creates images in the air without a physical screen is already advancing in universities and companies, promises to transform cell phones, computers, and TVs into invisible interfaces, and could forever change the way we use devices in our daily lives.

Starting from R$ 32,000: 5 used automatic cars offer up to 155 hp, CVT and 6-speed transmissions, fuel economy of up to 11 km/l, a 525-liter trunk, and fully-equipped versions with 6 airbags and 4×4.

Scientists discover that procrastination is not laziness: 2026 study reveals EV-PV circuit that blocks motivation, exposes conflict between the limbic system and prefrontal cortex, and points to a direct relationship with anxiety and fear of failure.

Brazil has 90% of the world’s production of a fundamental rare metal, used in airplanes, batteries, electric cars, and high-strength steel, but why isn’t the country getting rich from it?

Gramado Mineira enchants at an altitude of 1,500 meters with more than a thousand residents, a chapel from 1762, temperatures as low as 6°C, a population that sextuples on holidays, and hidden waterfalls 120 km from Belo Horizonte.