A few Roaster planets have been glimpsed more directly when they transit their star, passing in front of it and dimming its light.

The first transitting planet, found in 1999 orbiting a star named HD 209458, over 100 light years away, also gave the first reading of an alien planet’s dimensions. Although lighter than Jupiter, this has a diameter 35 percent greater.

Subtle colour changes as starlight shines through the planet’s atmosphere suggest it consists of hydrogen, helium, and sodium, aswell as signs that it is slowly evaporating in the heat ( see Red Edge / Earth Shine ). This planet suggests that Roasters and Eccentric Giants are less dense than the gas planets of this solar system.

This is a key observation in relation to my alternate formation concept outlined in the later sections of this website; see: ‘The Protected Zone’ and ‘Beta Pictoris'.