Astronomers have identified a rare planetary system 190 light-years from Earth featuring a hot Jupiter sharing its orbit with a mini-Neptune closer to the star. This configuration was once considered nearly impossible. New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope provide fresh insights into how the planets formed.
The system, centered on the star TOI-1130, was first detected in 2020 using data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. The mini-Neptune completes an orbit every four days while the hot Jupiter takes eight days. Researchers noted that hot Jupiters typically lack nearby companions due to their strong gravitational influence.