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Astronomers Spot First 'Disappearing' Planet
· Confirmed
In Short: Dr. Kate Minker, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory, commented on the significance of this discovery: 'The images reveal a remarkably unusual object.
Researchers have observed a planet, TOI-2535 b, that has seemingly vanished from view after ceasing to cross the face of its star. The discovery, made using data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), marks a unique event in the study of exoplanets.
According to a study published in the JournalArta, TOI-2535 b, located about 1,000 light-years away, stopped transiting its star after an unseen neighboring planet tugged on its orbit, tilting it out of alignment.
The planet, which completes an orbit around its star every 8.25 Earth days, was first detected in 2019. However, astronomers noticed its schedule became erratic over time, leading to its disappearance from view.
Dr. Kate Minker, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory, commented on the significance of this discovery: 'The images reveal a remarkably unusual object. These observations likely represent the closest competition to spacecraft-quality imaging ever achieved from the ground, made possible by an exceptional combination of advanced instrumentation and sophisticated data-reduction techniques.'
This event highlights the complex gravitational interactions that can occur between planets in a star system. The angle, often called Psi, varies from approximately 3 to 7 degrees depending on the planet, indicating the delicate balance of forces at play.
The discovery also underscores the importance of long-term monitoring of exoplanets. By tracking TOI-2535 b over time, astronomers were able to detect the subtle changes in its orbit that led to its disappearance.
While this is the first known instance of a planet seemingly vanishing, it opens up new avenues for understanding the dynamics of planetary systems and the potential for other planets to undergo similar changes.
Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of this discovery and to search for other planets that may exhibit similar behavior.
What's confirmed
- Astronomers have found a possible new dwarf planet beyond Pluto.
What's still developing
- A newly discovered dwarf planet candidate has a trail stretching back more than a decade in telescope images, giving astronomers a head start in understanding its orbit. 2026 ED138 could become the solar system’s sixth officially recognized dwarf planet.
- Scientists have found what they believe to be the first ever disappearing planet.
- Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are among the most energetic cosmic events since the Big Bang, releasing the most energetic type of radiation, gamma rays – the stuff that turned unassuming Bruce Banner into the rampaging Hulk, but on an astronomical, potentially planet-sterilizing level.
- In this ideal scenario, the planets formed in the disc will then rotate in the same direction as their star's rotation and in the same plane as the stellar equator, perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
- But how can a planet hide in plain sight, and what does this unexpected discovery tell us about the strange behavior of distant worlds?
- Kalas first started searching for a dusty disk around Fomalhaut in 1993, hoping to see for the first time the debris left over after planet formation.
- Thanks to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (HST), he eventually found such a disk around the star and, in 2008, reported finding a bright spot near the disk that was likely a planet, the first to be imaged directly at visible wavelengths.
- Wednesday, September 30, 2026 · 12:06 PM ET In Short: Astronomers may have discovered a giant planet in the habitable zone of the hottest star yet, HD 156295.
- Researchers calculated the strength of the magnetic field of the planet to be at least 1.25 kilogauss (kG) based on the highest frequency detected.
- Therefore, by studying the magnetic field around β Pictoris b, astronomers are giving themselves a much better understanding of both its physical properties and its potential development over time. β Pictoris b is a huge, hot planet similar to Jupiter that orbits around a bright star called β Pictoris, which is located approximately 63 light-years from Earth.
- Astronomers have discovered a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) – most likely a dwarf planet – at the edges of the Solar System, making it the second-most distant TNO currently known.
- Finally, this dwarf planet candidate was likely discovered only recently because it is located in a densely populated region of the sky.
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