Astronomers have identified a potential for more hidden planets within the Kepler-139 system, particularly in the gaps observed between the known planets.

Kepler-139 hosts three rocky super-Earths and a gas giant, with orbital gaps indicating the likelihood of further planets lurking in the system.

A newly discovered gas giant, Kepler-139e, orbits its star every 5.6 years, and its properties were re-evaluated following the discovery of Kepler-139f, which clarified its density.

Kepler-139 is located approximately 1,289 light-years from Earth, and the presence of Kepler-139f was inferred through periodic brightness dips observed over the past decade by the Kepler space telescope.

Researchers from Princeton University uncovered Kepler-139f, a large exoplanet about 35 times more massive than Earth, hidden within the Kepler-139 system.

Previous observations revealed three super-Earths in the system, but inconsistencies in their transit timings suggested the existence of additional unseen planets.

The discovery of Kepler-139f enabled astronomers to revise the density estimates of Kepler-139c, leading to a better understanding of the system's dynamics.

Kepler-139f orbits its star every 355 days and is situated between the inner super-Earths and the outer gas giant, with its detection relying on transit timing variations and radial velocity measurements.

The discovery of Kepler-139f was made possible by analyzing the orbits of known planets, despite its initially elusive detection due to an inclined orbit.

Future missions like the European Space Agency's PLATO, launching in 2026, are expected to improve the detection of hidden planets and refine the characteristics of known exoplanets in systems like Kepler-139.