Sentinel Digital Desk
Researchers from India’s Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) have made a groundbreaking discovery in exoplanet science. Using the advanced PARAS-2 spectrograph, they identified TOI-6651b, a dense, Saturn-sized planet orbiting a Sun-like star.
TOI-6651b is about 60 times the mass of Earth, with a radius five times larger. This rare exoplanet lies at the edge of the “Neptunian desert,” a region where planets of its size are seldom found.
The Neptunian desert is a mysterious area with very few planets of this mass. TOI-6651b's discovery provides a unique chance for scientists to study why such planets are rarely found here.
TOI-6651b orbits its host star, TOI-6651, in just 5.06 days. This means its “year” is only a fraction of an Earth month, adding to the uniqueness of this distant planet and expanding our understanding of planetary formation.