NASA exoplanet-hunting spacecraft and citizen scientists discover a new alien world

Citizen scientists using NASA’s TESS mission have discovered TOI-4465 b, a rare, relatively cool gas giant about 400 light‑years away. Roughly six times Jupiter’s mass and 1.25 times its width, it orbits its star every 102 days in an elliptical path, with temperatures between 200 and 400 °F. Unlike scorching “hot Jupiters” or frigid ice giants, TOI-4465 b occupies an underexplored middle ground, offering valuable clues about planetary system formation, Space.com has reported. Its rarity makes it a prime target for future study with the James Webb Space Telescope.