Weird Exoplanets of 2021: What Are The Strangest Planets Discovered This Year?

It's nearly unbelievable that in 2021, researchers found hot Jupiter planets and 'Super-Earths.' Even though scientists were convinced that other stars orbited stars, before the finding of hundreds of exoplanets, there was little evidence of other planetary systems.

A massive exoplanet in orbit around one of the most massive and hottest two-star systems ever known is among the planets identified this year. Multiple rocky worlds were discovered inside the habitable zone of star systems, suggesting that life may have developed there.

The exoplanet discoveries of the previous 12 months have been gathered by Science Times into a list of some of the most intriguing, weird, and unexpected planetary findings.

NASA Telescope Reveals Seven Earth-sized Planets Around Single Star — UNSPECIFIED: In this NASA digital illustration handout released on February 22, 2017, an artist's concept allows us to imagine what it would be like to stand on the surface of the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1f, located in the TRAPPIST-1 system in the constellation Aquarius. Photo digital Illustration by NASA/NASA via Getty Images

1. Young Exoplanet 2M0437b

Astronomers have discovered 'one of the youngest planets ever discovered' in outer space, which may offer fresh light on the formation of planets. Science Times said the planet, known as 2M0437b, is 'several million years old and is expected to be a 'few times more massive than Jupiter.'

2M0437b is still hot from the energy produced during its development since it is still young. According to the announcement reporting the finding, it had a temperature equivalent to "lava spewing from Kilauea Volcano."

The planet, which is around 400 light-years away from Earth, was initially discovered in 2018 by the Subaru Telescope. Since then, experts have been investigating the object at Maunakea's Keck Observatory to ensure that it is indeed a companion to the 2M0437 star.

2. 'Ultrahot Jupiter' TOI-2109b

Science Times said that astronomers found an 'ultrahot Jupiter' exoplanet with searing surface temperatures of 6,000°F. The planet, named TOI-2109b, also has an exceptionally short orbit of about 16 hours, making it the fastest known gas giant.

According to MIT researchers, the discovery might assist in solving the enigma of how hot Jupiter exoplanets form in the first place. The planet's dayside is projected to be approximately 3,500 Kelvin, or close to 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, due to its incredibly tight orbit and closeness to its star. Experts, this makes it the second hottest object ever discovered.

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3. Oven-Like COCONUTS-2b

Although more than 4,000 exoplanets have been confirmed, with up to 7,600 candidates, a researcher at the University of Hawaii has directly observed an exoplanet 35 light-years away from Earth, the closest one to be imaged so far.

According to a Science Times report, the new planet is known as COCONUTS-2b and orbits its star at a distance 6,000 times greater than the Earth orbits the sun, making it the second-coldest imaged exoplanet identified to date.' In a statement, astronomers said the newly discovered exoplanet's surface temperature, at 320 degrees Fahrenheit.

NASA said the nearest planet to our solar system orbits Epsilon Eridani, which is 10.5 light-years distant. The newly designated COCONUTS-2 planetary system includes COCONUTS-2b, which circles a low-mass red dwarf star.

4. Mars-Like or Mercury-Like Planet GJ 367b

Astronomers have found an exoplanet that orbits its star in just eight hours and is located 31 light-years distant. According to experts, the planet GJ 367b has 55 percent the mass of Earth, making it one of the lightest planets identified to date.

GJ 367 b is somewhat larger than Mars but has the same composition as Mercury, with a diameter of 5,560 miles. Due to its tiny distance from its star - roughly 620,000 miles - the exoplanet is likely rocky but devoid of life, as it is subjected to an 'enormous' quantity of radiation (1km).

The sole known planet circling its parent star is GJ 367 b, although scientists believe there are others to be discovered in this system. Science Times reported that GJ 367 b is a kind of exoplanet known as an ultra-short-period (USP) planet with an orbital period of less than 8 hours.

5. Iron-Rich Ultra-Hot Jupiter TOI-1518b

Science Times said astronomers discovered a new ultra-hot Jupiter-like exoplanet with an intriguing feature: its atmosphere includes iron. This planet, dubbed TOI-1518b, was discovered while NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) was studying the star TOI-1518.

According to the researchers who discovered the discovery, the new planet has a radius of around 1.875 Jupiter and a mass of little over twice that of Jupiter.