At a Glance
- Scientists have discovered a new super-Earth orbiting its star farther than Saturn is in our solar system using gravitational microlensing, offering new insights into planet formation in distant orbits.
- Gravitational microlensing allowed researchers to detect this planet by magnifying the light from a background star, revealing that super-Earths can exist far from their host stars.
- The study combined data from the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network and other observatories, analyzing over 3,000 planets to show that distant super-Earths are more common than previously thought.
- This discovery challenges earlier assumptions that outer planetary systems mainly contain large gas giants like Neptune, highlighting greater diversity in distant planetary populations.
- Future research will investigate how these distant super-Earths form, contributing to a broader understanding of planetary system diversity across the Milky Way.
Scientists have used gravitational microlensing to uncover a new super-Earth—an exoplanet roughly twice the size of Earth named—orbiting its star farther out than Saturn does in our solar system. While super-Earths have been observed before, this particular planet’s discovery adds to our understanding of how planets in distant orbits form and how their sizes vary. The findings, published in Science, provide new insights into the distribution of planets across the Milky Way.
Gravitational microlensing works when a foreground object, such as a planet, magnifies the light from a star behind it. This method is especially useful for detecting planets that are far from their stars. The discovery of this super-Earth is significant because planets in these more distant orbits were previously thought to be mostly large gas giants. This new finding suggests that super-Earths can also exist in outer regions of solar systems.
The study is part of a larger project to understand the distribution and formation of planets across the galaxy. By combining data from the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) and other global observatories, the researchers analyzed over 3,000 planets. Their research shows that planets in the super-Earth range are common in distant orbits, challenging earlier beliefs that planets in these regions are mainly Neptune-sized. The team used data from telescopes in Chile, South Africa, and Australia, continuously monitoring the sky.
Looking forward, the team plans to investigate the formation of these distant planets further. Their work could provide valuable information about the diversity of planetary systems and how planets form in various environments. As their study grows, they aim to deepen our understanding of the factors influencing planet formation in our galaxy.
References
- Zang, W., Jung, Y. K., Yee, J. C., Hwang, K.-H., Yang, H., Udalski, A., Sumi, T., Gould, A., Mao, S., Albrow, M. D., Chung, S.-J., Han, C., Ryu, Y.-H., Shin, I.-G., Shvartzvald, Y., Cha, S.-M., Kim, D.-J., Kim, H.-W., Kim, S.-L., … Yamashita, K. (2025). Microlensing events indicate that super-Earth exoplanets are common in Jupiter-like orbits. Science, 388(6745), 400–404. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adn6088
- Watzke, M. & Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. (2025, April 24). Super-Earths are common outside the solar system, new study shows. Phys.Org; Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-super-earths-common-solar.html
