Astronomers have solved the mystery of an extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, that "disappeared" after seven years of observations. New research suggests that the planet hasn't vanished at all, but has been dragged off its orbit by an unseen planet.
The exoplanet, designated TOI-2535 b, is located around 1,000 light-years away. TOI-2535 b was routinely observed with NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space telescope for seven years between April 2019 and March 2026 as it completed its 8.25-Earth day orbit of its parent star. That's 10 times quicker than the orbit of Mercury around the sun and means this blisteringly hot planet is classed as a "hot Jupiter."
However, something strange happened started to happen as astronomers observed the distant world. The orbits of the planet weren't regular like those of other planets, with TOI-2535 b often arriving six hours early or ...
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