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In the search for planets beyond our solar system, astronomers have found a giant exoplanet that looks more like a football or rugby ball than a sphere.

The planet, called WASP-103b, is one of extremes. Located about 1225 light-years from Earth in the Hercules constellation, the planet is almost twice the size of Jupiter.

The strange world is also 50 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun. It completes one full orbit around its star, WASP-103, in just under one Earth day. With its scale and short orbit, this gas giant is categorized a "hot Jupiter" planet.

The planet was first discovered in 2014 and has been observed using the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes.

Researchers wanted to get another perspective of WASP-103b using CHEOPS, or the joint mission of Switzerland and the European Space Agency's CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite, to combine with previous observations.

The satellite, launched in 2019, searches for potentially habitable planets. It detects planets using the transit method, or measuring the dips in stellar brightness when a planet passes in front of a star.

When astronomers observed WASP-103b pass in front of its star, they were able to see the planet's odd, football-like shape.

A study detailing the findings published Tuesday in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

"After observing several such so-called 'transits,' we were able to measure the deformation. It's incredible that we were able to do this – it's the first time such an analysis has been done," said study co-author Babatunde Akinsanmi, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva, in a statement.

The role of ocean tides

The researchers suspect the elongated shape is due to the force of massive tides occurring on the planet.

On Earth, ocean tides are largely the result of the gravitational pull of the moon. This force causes low and high tides, but nothing dramatic enough to be visible from space.

"Because of its great proximity to its star, we had already suspected that very large tides are caused on the planet. But, we had not yet been able to verify this," said study co-author Yann Alibert, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Bern, in a statement.

The deformation of the planet also allowed researchers to learn more about its composition, which is gaseous like Jupiter. While the largest planet in our solar system has a frigid average temperature of -108C, this planet is likely inflated due to heat from its incredibly close star, which is why it is considered to be a "hot Jupiter" planet. The star is about 200 degrees hotter and 1.7 times larger than our sun.

Astronomers want to probe another mystery about the planet. Typically, a massive planet like this closely orbiting its host star would gradually get closer to the star over time and become engulfed by it. Current measurements seem to suggest that the planet is drifting further away, rather than closer in to its star.

Future observations can help astronomers uncover more about the planet's internal structure and deformation, as well as any similar exoplanets. Hot Jupiters proved to be common during the early days of exoplanet detection, but deformed planets are incredibly rare.

Previously, the Hubble Space Telescope revealed that the extreme heat and intense gravity of its star is warping another planet, called WASP-121b, into the shape of a football.

"This would improve our understanding of these so-called 'hot Jupiters' and allow a better comparison between them and giant planets in the Solar System," said study co-author Monika Lendl, an assistant professor of astronomy at the University of Geneva, in a statement.

Ronnie Spector, the cat-eyed, bee-hived rock 'n' roll siren who sang such 1960s hits as "Be My Baby," "Baby I Love You" and "Walking in the Rain" as the leader of the girl group the Ronettes, has died. She was 78.

Ms Spector died Wednesday after a brief battle with cancer, her family said. "Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humour and a smile on her face. She was filled with love and gratitude," a statement said. No other details were revealed.

The Ronettes' sexy look and powerful voices — plus songwriting and producing help from Phil Spector — turned them into one of the premier acts of the girl-group era, touring England with the Rolling Stones and befriending the Beatles.

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Spector, alongside her sister Estelle Bennett and cousin Nedra Talley, scored hits with pop masterpieces like "Baby, I Love You," "Walking in the Rain," "I Can Hear Music" and "Be My Baby," which was co-written by Ms Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich.

"We weren't afraid to be hot. That was our gimmick," Ms Spector said in her memoir. "When we saw The Shirelles walk on stage with their wide party dresses, we went in the opposite direction and squeezed our bodies into the tightest skirts we could find. Then we'd get out on stage and hike them up to show our legs even more."

Ms Spector, born Veronica Bennett, and her multiracial bandmates grew up in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. They began singing and dancing in clubs as Ronnie and the Relatives, becoming noteworthy for their liberal use of eyeliner and mascara.

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"The louder they applauded, the more mascara we put on the next time," she wrote in her memoir. "We didn't have a hit record to grab their attention, so we had to make an impression with our style. None of it was planned out; we just took the look we were born with and extended it."

In March 1963, Estelle Bennett managed to arrange an audition in front of Phil Spector, known for his big, brass-and-drum style dubbed the "wall of sound." They were signed to Phillies Records in 1963. After being signed, they sang backup for other acts until Spector had the group record "Be My Baby" and "Baby I Love You."

The group's debut album, "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica," was released in 1964. Five of its 12 tracks had made it to the US Billboard charts.

"Nothing excites me more than just being onstage, having fun and flirting and winking to the guys and stuff like that," she told People magazine in 2017. "I just have so much fun. It's just the best feeling when I go out and they say, "Ladies and gentlemen…" —my heart stops for a minute—"…Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes!" Then I just go out there and the crowd reacts the way they react and I can go on singing forever."

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After touring Germany in 1967, the Ronettes broke up. Mr Spector married Ronnie in 1968, then she said he kept her locked in their Beverly Hills mansion. Her 1990 autobiography "Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts And Madness" tells an unhappy story of abuse. The couple divorced in 1974. Phil Spector was sent to prison in 2009 for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson and died in 2020.

Ronnie Spector's influence was felt far and wide. Brian Wilson became obsessed with "Be My Baby" and Billy Joel wrote "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" in Spector's honour. Amy Winehouse frequently cited Spector as an idol.

Martin Scorsese used "Be My Baby" to open his 1973 film "Mean Streets" and the song appears in the title sequence of "Dirty Dancing" and the closing credits of "Baby Mama." It also appeared on TV in "Moonlighting" and "The Wonder Years."

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When the Ronettes were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones remembered opening for the trio in England in the mid-1960s. "They could sing all their way right through a wall of sound," Richards said. "They didn't need anything. They touched my heart right there and then and they touch it still."

After the Ronettes broke up, Ms Spector continued to tour and make music, including "Take Me Home Tonight" with Eddie Money, recording Joel's "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, and recording the 1999 EP "She Talks to Rainbows," which included her first ever recording of "Don't Worry Baby," written for her by Brian Wilson.

In 2006, she released "Last of the Rock Stars," her first album in 20 years and it featured appearances by the Raconteurs, Keith Richards, Patti Smith and the Raveonettes. In 2010 she released a doo-wop Christmas EP called "Ronnie Spector's Best Christmas Ever" and in 2016 released "English Heart," her covers of songs from Britain in the '60s.

She is survived her husband, Jonathan Greenfield, and two sons, Jason and Austin.

Unregistered NRL player Curtis Scott has pleaded not guilty to domestic violence charges as a court heard his ex-girlfriend and accuser has moved to the same street as his current partner.

The 24-year-old appeared at Sutherland Local Court today for the first time since being charged with eight offences last week.

Allegations of choking and assault have been made by Australian triple jumper Tay-Leiha Clark, who dated Scott when he played for the Melbourne Storm in 2018.

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Scott will defend each count, with the case set down for a three-day hearing where up to 10 witnesses will give evidence.

His lawyer Sam Macedone told the court an issue had arisen with a condition on the interim apprehended violence order (AVO) which states Scott can't go within 50 metres of Ms Clark.

The athlete and her family have moved to the same Miranda street as Scott's current girlfriend and he has to walk past his ex's house to get to the oval where he trains.

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"My client says he's wiped this person from his memory, from his phone… he's got no intentions of even looking at the place," Mr Macedone remarked.

The magistrate agreed to shorten the exclusion zone from 50 to 15 metres, rather than order him to take an alternative route.

Outside court, Mr Macedone expressed his frustration at the NRL for stopping his client's trial with the Parramatta Eels until the case is finalised.

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"Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence… this affects his whole career," Mr Macedone said.

"He can't play football, he can't train, he can't get registered."

Scott is undergoing rehabilitation for alcohol issues and will start a new job tomorrow.

Almost 60,000 positive COVID-19 results from rapid antigen tests have already been registered in the Service NSW app after the system went online this morning.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet today announced people will now be required to report positive RAT results dating back to January 1 or face a $1000 fine.

9News understands 59,599 positive test results have been uploaded in the system since 9am this morning, however not all of these will be from today, with some dating back to January 1.

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https://twitter.com/cokeefe9/status/1481124533759545344

New South Wales again hit a new deadliest day of the pandemic, with 21 deaths and 34,759 new cases of coronavirus overnight.

Earlier, the premier outlined the new rules around registering rapid test results and announced people who fail to register a positive rapid antigen test result on the Service NSW app will be fined $1000.

Mr Perrottet said anybody who had tested positive with a RAT since January 1 needed to log their result.

There will be a grace period of one week before fines are enforced from January 19.

The registration service was launched at 9am today.

Mr Perrottet said while the mandate "is harder to enforce", the option of not making it mandatory would "discourage" people from registering it.

He said he expected NSW residents to do the right thing and upload their results.

People with the app can also add in test results for their dependents, as with the QR check-in.

"For those people that don't have a Service NSW app, you can also go to the Service NSW website, and access the form there," Mr Dominello said.

"Alternatively, you can go and call Service NSW and they will provide assistance."

Interstate travellers can also register a guest account.

Today's case numbers come from 134,411 tests, up from 71,352.

A person in their 30s and one centenarian are among the reported deaths.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant also revealed that seven of the deaths reported on NSW's deadliest day were in fact historical.

The deaths actually took place last year, as early as September, but were initially reported to the coroner, who has now confirmed they were COVID-19 cases.

Hospitalisations remain on the rise, with 2242 people in hospital and 175 in ICU.

Victoria also released worrying figures today, with 21 deaths.

The state recorded 40,127 new coronavirus cases, with hospitalisations rising to 946 patients and 112 in ICU.

NSW clocked 25,870 infections yesterday, amid rising hospitalisations and 11 deaths.

Case numbers in both Victoria and Queensland spiked significantly when the states started counting the rapid tests in daily figures.

But RATs remain rare commodities and multiple industries at breaking point as our surging COVID-19 case numbers force employees into isolation.

Almost a third of Woolworths staff are off sick or isolating as a close contact and Coles has introduced new buying limits for certain groceries amid staff shortages and supply chain issues caused by COVID-19.

They include single-pack limits on toilet paper and a two-pack restriction for painkillers.

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The pandemic is having a serious impact on the health system too, with some patients moved from public to private hospitals to free up beds and a Sydney mum not being able to find an ambulance after giving birth to her son on the bathroom floor.

"After that experience, and hearing the premier talking about the system being strong… it's just not," Melanie Moir's husband, Alex, said.

"The healthcare workers on the ground are doing an amazing job, but they can't provide the level of care that they want to."

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