Approximately how massive is the exoplanet TOI-849b compared to Earth's mass?
Answer
About 55 times that of Earth
The exoplanet TOI-849b is characterized as being exceptionally massive for a world classified as potentially rocky. Its estimated mass is approximately 55 times the mass of Earth. This enormous mass, combined with its density profile suggesting a metal-dominated sphere, places it in a unique category, making it the most massive known rocky world discovered. This finding forces scientists to re-examine models of planetary formation, as planets of this scale are typically expected, based on established models, to be gas or ice giants enveloped in light elements like hydrogen and helium, rather than being primarily metallic bodies.
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