Newly Discovered 'Warm Jupiter' Challenges Previous Understanding of Planetary Orbits

Research led by an Indiana University astronomer challenges the belief that hot Jupiters, gas giant planets that closely orbit stars outside our solar system, rarely have any nearby companion planets. The study analyzed the full, four-year data set for hot and warm Jupiters from NASA's Kepler Mission and found that at least 12% of hot Jupiters and 70% of warm Jupiters have a nearby planetary companion orbiting their host stars. The findings provide a new framework for explaining the evolution of hot and warm Jupiters and why some have companion planets.