TOI 561: A 10-Billion-Year-Old, Metal-Poor Planetary System episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 26, 2025 · 4 MIN

TOI 561: A 10-Billion-Year-Old, Metal-Poor Planetary System

from Intellectually Curious · host Mike Breault

Meet TOI 561, a 10-billion-year-old orange dwarf in the Milky Way's thick disk—the galaxy's ancient backbone. This metal-poor star hosts at least four planets, including TOI 561b, a scorching super-Earth with an 11-hour orbit whose composition is debated: rocky with little iron or a water-rich body shrouded in a dense steam atmosphere. The discovery challenges ideas about planet formation in the early universe and hints that migration could move icy worlds inward over billions of years. A story of time, metal scarcity, and planetary diversity across our galaxy.Note:  This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes.  Please double-check any critical information.Sponsored by Embersilk LLC

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Dec 26, 2025

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Meet TOI 561, a 10-billion-year-old orange dwarf in the Milky Way's thick disk—the galaxy's ancient backbone. This metal-poor star hosts at least four planets, including TOI 561b, a scorching super-Earth with an 11-hour orbit whose composition is debated: rocky with little iron or a water-rich body shrouded in a dense steam atmosphere. The discovery challenges ideas about planet formation in the early universe and hints that migration could move icy worlds inward over billions of years. A sto...

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TOI 561: A 10-Billion-Year-Old, Metal-Poor Planetary System

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