Say What? Astronomy

Super-Earths, meet superpuffs, a lighter weight class of planet

Underweight, oversized planets formed in outskirts of star systems

a superpuff planet

BIG PERSONALITY  Superpuffs (one illustrated) are extra fluffy planets that formed far from their star and subsequently wandered in closer, a new study suggests.

NASA, ESA, G. Bacon/STScI

By Christopher Crockett

- More than 2 years ago

Superpuff
SOO-per-puf n.

A gassy planet, close to its star, with a puzzlingly small mass.

Not to be confused with a generic breakfast cereal, superpuffs are fluffy planets snuggled up to their suns.