Astronomers Discover Exoplanet with Most Eccentric Orbit Yet

New findings reveal a gas giant on the path to becoming a hot Jupiter, offering insights into planetary migration.

The exoplanet TIC 241249530 b has the most elongated orbit of any known transiting planet.
Its orbit is highly eccentric and retrograde, moving opposite to its star's rotation.
The planet is expected to evolve into a hot Jupiter within a billion years.
This discovery supports theories of high-eccentricity migration in planetary formation.
The planet's extreme orbit was first detected by NASA's TESS and confirmed through additional observations.