Astronomers have detected a low-mass giant planet that challenges existing theories about how bigger worlds are formed.
The Jupiter-sized world, dubbed GJ 504b, was found much further out in its star's orbit than a planet its size should have been, if you go by existing planet-formation theory.
GJ 504b weighs in at around four times Jupiter's mass, and is the lowest mass exoplanet* to be imaged orbiting a Sun-like star using direct imaging techniques.
Given its similarity to Jupiter's size, NASA boffins were surprised to find that it was much much further away than Jupiter is in the solar system's setup: nearly nine times as far, to be exact.
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