The latest exciting discovery of a distant world has revealed a planet beyond the scope of imagination. The planet, which is relatively nearby – about 420 light years from the Earth – lies in the constellation Centaurus.

The planet was discovered by the team of Eric Mamajek, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester. They were studying a sun-like star known as j1407 and extrapolated their data to create a detailed model of the new celestial body. From their information, they estimate that the planet is up to 40 times larger than Jupiter with a ring system 200 times bigger than Saturn’s. While Saturn’s rings stretch about 70,000 kilometers across, this ring system could be millions of miles in diameter.

Astronomers expect that the ring system will not last forever. Over a period of millions of years, the super planet’s rings will dissipate, eventually forming satellites from the material in the disks.

About 2,000 exoplanets – that is, planets outside Earth’s native solar system – have been confirmed by astronomers so far. This is the first to be discovered to have a ring system. Its presence was deduced by the flickering patterns of light as the planet passed in front of a star.

It is suspected that the planet is relatively young – only about 16 million years old. Astronomers think they may have caught the rings in a stage of transition, very similar to what would have happened with Saturn to create its moons. However, a lot more information is needed to be able to create a more concrete analysis. Mamajek and his colleagues have recruited help from a group of high-level amateur astronomers, the American Association of Variable Star Observers.

“It will be very interesting to see what picture forms as each new observation adds a new piece of the puzzle,” said Natalie Batalha, a leading member of a NASA planet-hunting team.