Giant planet around tiny star challenges formation theories

An international team of astronomers said on June 4, 2025, that they’ve found a giant planet around a tiny star. The discovery challenges theories of planet formation. Image via University of Warwick/ Mark Garlick/ University of Liège.

• Astronomers have found a giant planet orbiting a tiny star. The giant planet is Saturn-sized and the star is a red dwarf, with about 20% the mass of our sun.
• Theories of planet formation said that low-mass stars such as this red dwarf couldn’t form or retain giant planets.