Astronomers have discovered two giant planets that are lighter than cotton candy despite being nearly the size of Jupiter. The unusual worlds are the largest super-puff planets ever identified and are now considered the lightest known planets of their size.

The planets orbit a star located about 1,110 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation Volans, known as the flying fish. Astronomers first detected the worlds using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and later studied them with ground-based telescopes to measure their density.

According to researchers, the planets have densities similar to shaving foam, making them extraordinarily lightweight compared to other giant planets. Jupiter, for example, is estimated to be up to 35 times denser than these newly discovered worlds. Astronomers say their low density is what makes them part of the rare super-puff category.

The research team believes the planets are mainly made of hydrogen and helium. Astronomers suggest they may appear white or blue depending on the amount of cloud cover in their atmospheres. Future observations by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope are expected to reveal more about their chemical makeup.

Super-puff planets are considered rare throughout the universe. Astronomers believe they form in the gas-rich disks surrounding young stars before gradually losing much of their material over time. This process leaves behind giant planets with extremely low densities.

The findings were published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Astronomers say studying rare worlds like these helps scientists better understand how planets form and evolve across the galaxy.

NASA has confirmed nearly 6,300 exoplanets beyond our solar system, but fewer than 40 are classified as super-puffs. The discovery gives astronomers another opportunity to learn more about the diversity of planetary systems in the universe.