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by Suryaa |
Astronomers discovered a planet, dubbed WASP-103b, and is one of the latest non-globe planets recorded. Due to its proximity to its home star - less than 20,000 miles - tidal stresses pull it into the shape of a potato.
Initially discovered in 2014, the unusual shape was theorized due to its short orbit around WASP-103 in 22 hours. It was unconfirmed until now, using the European Space Agency’s CHEOPS mission and data from NASA’S Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes.
To date, astronomers have discovered 4,884 planets. These planets all come in different shapes, sizes, and configurations. Such a vast amount of data helps astronomers refine how planets form and how systems like ours come to be.
