Reevaluating Solar System Formation: Massive Planet Challenges Size Limitations of Host Star

The discovery of a planet more than 13 times the mass of Earth orbiting an ultracool star challenges current theories of planet formation. Named LHS 3154b, the planet is the most massive known planet in a close orbit around an ultracool dwarf star. The finding raises questions about the formation of planets and stars, as the planet's mass exceeds what current models would predict for the amount of solid material in the planet-forming disk. The discovery was made using the Habitable Zone Planet Finder (HPF), an instrument developed by Penn State researchers.