TOI-3261 b: A ‘Hot Neptune’ discovered in a scorching close orbit around its host star

Using NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) along with observations from ground-based telescopes in Australia, Chile, and South Africa, an international team of scientists discovered a rare exoplanet, TOI-3261 b, which orbits extremely close to its host star. This “Hot Neptune” is only the fourth of its kind ever found. Its discovery is significant because it may provide new insights into how such planets form.