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The planet (TOI-6894b) is a low-density gas giant with a radius a little larger than Saturn’s but with only ~50% of Saturn’s mass. IIRC Saturn has very low den
by narag 1y ago
The planet (TOI-6894b) is a low-density gas giant with a radius a little larger than Saturn’s but with only ~50% of Saturn’s mass.
IIRC Saturn has very low density, was it lower than water? (IOW it would float) so this would be even lighter.
- kbelder 1y agoI understand how they measure mass, but how do they measure an exoplanet's radius, especially to that precision?
- dotancohen 1y agoI did not read this paper, but typically the diameter can be inferred by the transit time.
- teamonkey 1y agoNot sure in this specific case, but usually by measuring the brightness of the star as the planet passes in front of it, like a partial eclipse. That’s why most of the planets we have discovered are giants.
- nilamo 1y agoSounds less like a planet, and more like a nebula.