With over 2,000 exoplanetsdiscovered , our sight of the population has radically changed . More and more planets are discovered every week , and while we might have gotten used to it , some are still able to storm us , like this latest discovery .

astronomer were capable to detect a turgid natural gas giant living in a three - star system . The major planet dubbed KELT-4Ab is about 685 loose - years from Earth , it has one and a one-half times the mass of Jupiter and orb its star , KELT-4A , every three days . Thanks to clear crisp images of the organization , they were able to find that its star has   two other fellow traveler .

This discovery , published in theAstrophysical Journal , was potential thanks to KELT , the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope , which focus on planets orbiting very close to their host stars . The star KELT-4A was observed dim every few days , indicating the presence of a close - by planet . Professor Justin Crepp from the University of Notre Dame used theKeck telescopeto capture photos of the system .

“ I found that there was a loony toons nearby , which we believed to be a wizard , making this a binary system , ” Professor Justin Crepp said in astatement . “ And then upon further review , I found that it was two acid . We would n’t have realized that without these photos . ”

Four satellite have so far been detected in the treble star scheme . This does n’t mean that these scheme are incredibly rare , it might be possible that they are just more difficult to detect . Either way , this find is very authoritative to further our understanding of planet   formation .

“ When you first find these , you ’re hunting and gathering . Once you have enough objects , we can begin looking for patterns , ” Crepp says .

KELT-4Ab is a " hot Jupiter , "   a jumbo gas major planet orbiting closer to its whizz than Mercury is from the Sun . Until the discovery of the first exoplanet , scientists believed that gas heavyweight would only be found far away from their emcee star , and not in such near orbit .

“ We still opine they formed far from their star , but then somehow migrated tight to their champion . We also do n’t know how they finish migrate . It is potential that companion stars labour the kinetics of planet such as to move the planets nigher to the star , ” Crepp added .

“ We are trying to learn how planets get to their final resting spot in sphere around stars . This discovery has implications for our understanding of planet formation and evolution . ”