Astronomers have discovered an unusual planet known as TOI-332b, which calls into question current theories of planet formation. The exoplanet is an interesting case for scientists because it defies current understanding of planet formation.
Scientists have recognized some common characteristics of all exoplanets discovered so far, but some planets have rare characteristics. The planet TOI-332b was discovered orbiting an orange dwarf star 727 light-years away, in a region known as the Neptune Desert. It has a radius 3.2 times that of Earth and orbits its star every 18.72 hours.
Scientists managed to measure the mass of the exoplanet, which is equal to 57.2 Earth masses. What sets this exoplanet apart is its density, which is greater than that of iron. This high density indicates a massive iron core, complete with a rocky mantle and a thin atmosphere of hydrogen and helium. However, the exoplanet has no atmosphere.
Potential explanations include photoevaporation, planetary migration, internal heating, or a massive impact with another celestial body. However, these hypotheses require further investigation.
Source: Exoplanet