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Nature Study Weighs Four Young V1298 Tau Planets, Revealing Ultra‑Low Densities

Years of transit‑timing data indicate the planets are inflated by stellar heating, with atmospheres already escaping.

Overview

  • The paper delivers the first robust mass measurements for all four planets in the ~20‑million‑year‑old system using transit‑timing variations.
  • The worlds span roughly five to 10 Earth radii yet only five to 15 Earth masses, implying densities comparable to polystyrene foam.
  • Recovery of a previously missed transit for the outer planet pinned down its orbital period and unlocked the full dynamical solution.
  • Analysis shows substantial atmospheric loss under intense irradiation, with the planets expected to contract into super‑Earths and sub‑Neptunes over time.
  • The resonant-like configuration provides a rare benchmark for models linking young, inflated planets to the compact sub‑Neptune systems common across the galaxy.