Oxford-led team discovers 'super-puff' planets
Analysis based on 44 articles · First reported Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 05, 2026
The discovery of these rare super-puff planets, led by the University of Oxford and involving United States — NASA, is a significant scientific advancement. While it does not have a direct immediate financial market impact, it enhances the reputation of the involved research institutions and space agencies, potentially attracting further funding and talent to the aerospace and education sectors. The use of the James Webb Space Telescope for follow-up observations also highlights the ongoing importance of advanced space technology.
Astronomers, led by the University of Oxford in collaboration with University Côte d Azur and the University of Birmingham, have discovered two giant 'super-puff' exoplanets, TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, which are roughly the size of Jupiter but lighter than cotton candy. These planets orbit a star 1,110 light-years away in the Volans constellation. The discovery, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, challenges existing theories of planet formation due to their extremely low densities. United States — NASA's TESS satellite initially identified the candidate planets, and observations from telescopes worldwide, including the ASTEP telescope in Antarctica, were used to determine their densities. The planets are in a rare 5:3 mean-motion resonance, making the system a unique laboratory for studying planetary evolution. Future observations by United States — NASA's James Webb Space Telescope are planned to analyze their atmospheric composition.
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