NASA discovers 'super Jupiter' giant planet

10:01 AM, Nov 20, 2012   |    comments
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UNDATED (CNN/NASA) -- It's a massive discovery that's out of this world! NASA scientists say they've found what could be a huge planet outside of our solar system.

They're calling it a "super-Jupiter." They say it orbits a star 170 light years away, and is about 13-times the size of Jupiter.

NASA says there's also the possibility the "super-Jupiter" could actually be a brown dwarf star.

Those are able to generate energy by fusion while massive planets are only able to slowly radiate the heat leftover from their own formation.