Astronomers discovered a planet named WASP-193b that is larger than Jupiter but lighter than cotton candy.
Despite its large size, WASP-193b is seven times less dense than Jupiter.
Scientists are intrigued by this anomaly as it offers opportunities to explore unconventional planetary formation and evolution processes.
WASP-193b is located 1,200 light-years away and consists mostly of hydrogen and helium gases.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - Astronomers have identified a planet that's bigger than Jupiter yet surprisingly as fluffy and light as cotton candy. The exoplanet, named WASP-193b, was confirmed last year but took extra time to determine its unique properties based on observations by ground telescopes. It is the second-lightest exoplanet discovered to date based on its dimensions and mass.
The planet is located some 1,200 light-years away and believed to consist mostly of hydrogen and helium gases. Its low density for its size makes it an anomaly among the over 5,000 exoplanets discovered so far. Scientists are intrigued by this outlier as it offers opportunities to explore unconventional planetary formation and evolution processes.
Despite being 50 percent larger than Jupiter, WASP-193b is seven times less dense. This extremely low density is comparable to that of light and fluffy cotton candy. The team cannot fully explain how this planet was formed, hoping future work with the James Webb Space Telescope will reveal mechanisms behind the inflation.
The international team includes researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Liège in Belgium, and other institutions. They published their findings in Nature Astronomy.
The article mentions that scientists cannot fully explain how this planet was formed, but it does not provide any potential theories or hypotheses.
The article states that future work with the James Webb Space Telescope will reveal mechanisms behind the inflation, but there is no guarantee that this will be the case.
Researchers cannot explain how this planet was formed as it's an outlier in all current formation theories.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(10%)
The author uses the term 'super fluffy' to describe the planet's density, which is an editorializing and sensational way to describe it. The author also states that 'We cannot explain how this planet was formed.' This is a lie by omission as the article does not mention any theories or hypotheses about how WASP-193b may have formed.
We cannot explain how this planet was formed.
The planet is so light that it's difficult to think of an analogous, solid-state material. The reason why it's close to cotton candy is because both are pretty much air. The planet is basically super fluffy.
WASP-193b is mostly made of hydrogen and helium with a hugely inflated atmosphere.
The team cannot explain how this planet was formed, hoping future work with James Webb Space Telescope will reveal mechanisms behind the inflation.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The author makes an informal fallacy by comparing the exoplanet WASP-193b to cotton candy multiple times without providing any evidence that justifies this comparison beyond their similar low densities. This is an example of a Dichotomous Depiction, as the author is oversimplifying and reducing the complexity of the exoplanet by comparing it to a food item rather than describing its unique properties and characteristics.
][The extremely low density is comparable to that of light and fluffy cotton candy,][][Its extremely low density makes it a real anomaly among the more than five thousand exoplanets discovered to date.][][The planet is basically super fluffy.]
WASP-193b is the second least dense planet discovered to date, with only Kepler-51d being less dense but much smaller in size.
The exoplanet is so light that it's difficult to find an analogous solid material and is considered ‘super fluffy’ due to its predominantly hydrogen and helium atmosphere.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(10%)
The author uses the analogy of cotton candy to describe the exoplanet's low density, which is an example of sensationalism. The author also states that 'Studying how the star’s light changes as the exoplanet whips around it allowed Barkaoui and his colleagues to calculate the world’s radius and mass.' This statement implies that they were able to directly measure the planet's density, but later in the article it is revealed that they derived the density from its radius and mass. This is an example of selective reporting.
Studying how the star’s light changes as the exoplanet whips around it allowed Barkaoui and his colleagues to calculate the world’s radius and mass.
The galaxy can throw some odd curveballs, but an exoplanet discovered 1,232 light-years away is one of the oddest yet. It’s WASP-193b, and while it’s nearly 50 percent bigger than Jupiter, it’s so light and fluffy that its overall density is comparable to that of cotton candy.
Fallacies
(95%)
The author uses an analogy of WASP-193b being 'as light and fluffy as cotton candy' multiple times to describe the exoplanet's low density. This is an example of a metaphorical fallacy, as it is not a logical or factual comparison between the two things. However, since this is the only instance of such a fallacy in the article and it does not significantly impact the overall understanding or accuracy of the information presented, I am scoring it at 95.
The galaxy can throw some odd curveballs, but an exoplanet discovered 1232 light-years away is one of the oddest yet. It’s WASP-193b, and while it’s nearly 50 percent bigger than Jupiter, it’s so light and fluffy that its overall density is comparable to that of cotton candy.
It's an absolute dandelion puff-ball of a world… if a dandelion puff-ball could be a planet.
The planet is so light that it’s difficult to think of an analogous, solid-state material. The reason why it’s close to cotton candy is because both are pretty much air. The planet is basically super fluffy.
WASP-193b is made mostly from hydrogen and helium, with a hugely inflated atmosphere that extends tens of thousands of km farther than Jupiter’s own atmosphere.
The details of how WASP-193b was formed are not yet understood.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The article contains some instances of informal fallacies, specifically an analogy between the planet WASP-193b and cotton candy. However, this analogy is used to help explain the extremely low density of the planet and does not detract significantly from the scientific content of the article. No formal logical fallacies were identified.
The planet is so light that it's difficult to think of an analogous, solid-state material. The planet is basically super fluffy.
One of the materials closest in density to the new, puffy planet, is cotton candy, which has a density of about 0.05 g/cm3.
