GJ-523-B” Discovered: Mega-Earth 87 Light-Years Away and 2.5 Times Larger Than Our Planet

A rocky planet resembling Earth, but much larger, has been discovered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The study detailing the discovery is expected to be presented by researcher Max Kroft in the scientific journal “The Astronomical Journal.”

Named “GJ-523-B,” the planet is located about 87 light-years from Earth. It is 2.5 times larger than our planet and has 23 times its mass, making the combination of its size and mass extremely unusual.

According to Kroft, rocky planets resembling Earth can be found relatively easily in space, but they are usually much smaller. In the case of “GJ-523-B,” it is two and a half times larger, while its mass is closer to the characteristics of gas giants such as Saturn and Jupiter.

Data collected through telescope observations in Arizona indicate that the planet is relatively young, at 170 million years old. It completes an orbit around its star every 17.75 days, while its radius is 2.55 times that of Earth.

The discovery poses a puzzle for scientists, who now aim to find other planets with similar characteristics. This research could help explain the mystery, which challenges existing models of planetary formation.