I think it may be that while the field is more or less the same overall, the star no longer occupies as much of it so planets can get closer in where the gradie

I think it may be that while the field is more or less the same overall, the star no longer occupies as much of it so planets can get closer in where the gradient is steeper (and the tides can then rip the planet apart, giving us the chance to see its contents)