Scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad have discovered a massive planet outside our Solar System. The newly found planet, TOI-6038A b, is a sub-Saturn-sized planet that is larger than Earth but smaller than Saturn. It presents a unique opportunity to study planetary formation and evolution.

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• TOI-6038A b, a giant exoplanet, discovered by Indian scientists.
• The planet is 78.5 times the mass of Earth and has a radius 6.41 times that of Earth.
• It orbits an F-type star in a circular orbit every 5.83 days.
• F-type stars are hotter and brighter than the Sun but not the hottest stars in the universe.
• The planet lies between Neptune-like and gas giant exoplanets, classified as “Sub-Saturn.”
• The discovery was made using the PARAS-2 spectrograph at PRL’s Mount Abu Observatory.
• This marks the second exoplanet discovery using the advanced spectrograph system.
• The planet is part of a binary system, with a companion K-type star, TOI-6038B, 3217 AU away.
• Preliminary analysis suggests the planet has a massive rocky core.
• The system’s brightness makes it ideal for studying atmospheric characteristics and planetary migration.