Most planets on tilted orbits pass over the poles of their suns

The surprising discovery may reveal how misaligned worlds arise

planet orbiting star WASP-79

A planet circling the star WASP-79 (illustrated) orbits above and below the poles of its sun.

NASA, ESA and L. Hustak/STScI

Earth is on an orderly path around the sun, orbiting in nearly the same plane as our star’s equator. In 2008, however, astronomers began finding worlds in other solar systems that sail far above and below their star’s equatorial plane.