5 things you need to know about this jupiter-sized planet discovered lurking in our cosmic backyard
- Astronomers just uncovered a massive exoplanet, nicknamed "Jupiter Junior," orbiting a star only 12 light-years away, making it one of the closest gas giants ever found.
- This "jupiter" twin is nearly identical in mass and size to our own solar system's largest planet, but it completes a full orbit around its host star in a dizzying 14 days.
- The star it circles, Epsilon Indi A, is a cool, dim orange dwarf, meaning the planet's surface temperature is a mild 50 degrees Fahrenheit despite its tight orbit, hinting at potential atmospheric stability.
- Scientists detected the planet using a technique called radial velocity, which tracks the star's wobble—a subtle dance that reveals the gravitational pull of this hidden "jupiter"-like behemoth.
- This discovery, published in *Nature*, suggests that our solar system's structure may not be rare, as this nearby "jupiter" could help us understand how gas giants form and migrate in alien systems.