Juno's Microwave Radiometer reveals Io's heat output by looking below the surface, breaking new observational ground for volcanic and icy worlds. The findings suggest a steep gradient of rising temperatures just several feet into Io's surface, with possible explanations including conductive crust heating or cooling lava flows.
Researchers propose a multiple-moon-aided Jovian capture method utilizing solar gravity perturbation (SGP) to reduce velocity increments. The study uses four dynamic models and computes datasets to analyze the mechanism of SGP, revealing its influence on perijove radius change.
The discovery of an exomoon in the CD-35 2722 system, orbiting a brown dwarf rather than a planet, challenges our understanding of planetary objects. The exosatellite is estimated to be at least as massive as Jupiter and orbits a highly massive companion, blurring the lines between stars, planets, and moons.
Astronomers have discovered a third planet, Beta Pictoris d, in the system, which is 100 times fainter than Beta Pictoris b and 2.4 times more massive than Jupiter. The planet's wide orbit and extreme faintness make its detection a significant achievement.
Researchers have discovered two rare 'super-puff' planets with densities lower than candy floss, orbiting an F7-type dwarf star. The study provides a unique laboratory for understanding how these planets form and evolve, offering insights into their extremely low densities.
Phosphorus and nitrogen, two elements necessary for life, were found in distinct ratios in asteroidal bodies related to iron meteorites compared to younger asteroids. Researchers recreated the crystallization of iron meteorites in the lab and analyzed their chemical composition, which suggested that these life-essential elements origin...
Researchers measured wind speeds on seven hot, Jupiter-like exoplanets and found that magnetic fields govern the winds. The team's findings provide the strongest evidence yet of magnetism on planets outside our Solar System.
Researchers found strong magnetic fields on ultra-hot Jupiters, similar to those in our Solar System. The presence of these fields could affect planetary climates and potentially create dramatic aurorae displays.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research identified the ring-shaped region outside Jupiter's orbit as a 'pluripotent' planetesimal breeding ground. Computer simulations show diverse populations of planetesimals can form over millions of years, establishing a connection to specific groups of meteorites.
Researchers have discovered daily cloud cycles on WASP-94A b, a Hot Jupiter planet, using data from the James Webb Space Telescope. The findings reveal different weather patterns on the morning and evening sides of the planet, with magnesium silicate clouds forming in the mornings and clearing up by nightfall. This breakthrough provide...
Researchers used JWST to observe WASP-94A b and found aerosols dominated by condensation-driven clouds. Clouds form on cooler side, circulate, and evaporate as they move into the hotter day side.
Scientists have measured the atmosphere of the mini-Neptune, revealing a heavy composition with water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. The findings suggest that both planets formed far from their host star, then were drawn inward through a gradual process, preserving their atmospheres.
Jupiter is found to be about 8 km less wide at the equator and 24 km flatter at the poles, requiring an updated understanding of the giant planet's size and shape. This research has broader implications for studying gas planets in general and provides new insights into Jupiter's powerful winds and interior structure.
Researchers found massive amounts of ammonia gas expected but less than anticipated, and instead discovered thick patchy water-ice clouds on the exoplanet. The discovery sheds light on the limits of current models for studying exoplanet atmospheres.
Researchers studied the TOI-201 system, finding that the planets' orbits are tilted relative to each other, causing them to slowly change orientations. The team used multiple observational techniques to confirm the system's existence and predict future transits.
Researchers found that Jupiter's strong magnetic field created a cavity in its circumplanetary disk, which captured the largest four moons, including Ganymede. In contrast, Saturn's weaker magnetic field failed to form a cavity, resulting in only one large moon, Titan. This discovery provides insight into the formation of satellite sys...
The discovery of TOI-5205 b, a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a four times more massive star than our Sun, reveals its atmosphere has fewer heavy elements than expected. The research suggests that the planet's interior and atmosphere are not mixing, resulting in a carbon-rich, oxygen-poor atmosphere.
The collaboration aims to assess cross-border climate risk across the minerals-energy-food complex using Jupiter's ClimateScore Global platform. The MEF complex framework examines how climate hazards propagate through supply chains, affecting commodity prices and the pace of the energy transition.
Researchers have discovered a second planet, WISPIT 2c, in the same system as the previously detected WISPIT 2b, which is estimated to be about 5 million years-old and has a mass ten times that of Jupiter. The young gas giant was detected using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope Interferometer.
A team of scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope discovered a cold spot within Io's auroral footprint with temperatures much lower than expected and extraordinarily high densities. This finding opens up new ways to study Jupiter and its moon system, potentially revealing similar phenomena in other planetary systems.
Astronomers have found that the fundamental physical processes generating auroras are common to different celestial bodies, including the largest moon in the solar system. Observations of Ganymede's auroras reveal locally fragmented patches similar to those on Earth and Jupiter, suggesting a universal mechanism for aurora formation.
Researchers using ESA's Cheops satellite find a small rocky planet in LHS 1903 system, which defies conventional understanding of planetary order and formation. The discovery sparks renewed interest in exploring alternative explanations for this unusual system.
Astronomers at UCLA and UCSD have discovered hydrogen sulfide in the atmospheres of four distant gas giant planets orbiting HR 8799, confirming their planetary status. The detection uses a new data analysis technique that will improve the search for life on other planets.
Researchers believe a gigantic ring system surrounding a brown dwarf or super-Jupiter could have blocked the star's light, causing an extremely rare fading star phenomenon. The dimming lasted nearly 200 days, making it one of the longest ever observed.
A team of researchers used spectral data from the James Webb Space Telescope to study the HR 8799 star system, finding clear evidence of sulfur on three gas giant planets. This discovery suggests that these massive planets likely formed through core accretion, contradicting older models.
A new international study finds that Io and Europa's contrasting water makeup was established at birth, contradicting the idea that it evolved over time. The research suggests that Io formed from dry materials and Europa accreted from ice-rich building blocks.
Researchers propose that dense, nutrient-rich ice can separate from surrounding ice and descend into the ocean, addressing a longstanding habitability problem on Europa. The study suggests a novel idea inspired by crustal delamination, which could be a consistent means of recycling ice and providing nutrients to the ocean.
Scientists found that a planet's interior composition, specifically the 'softness' of its vortex base, determines the formation of polar vortices. The study suggests that Saturn may have a harder interior than Jupiter, leading to a single massive polar vortex, while Jupiter's softer interior gives rise to multiple smaller vortices.
Dr. Michael Davis, an astrophysicist at Southwest Research Institute, has been recognized by SPIE as a Fellow for his work on space instruments and UV imaging. He is the optics and detector scientist for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Juno mission to Jupiter.
A new study suggests that Europa's seafloor is geologically inactive, with no signs of tectonic motion or warm hydrothermal vents that could support life. The team calculated the gravitational forces from Jupiter and concluded that the tidal heating on Europa is not strong enough to drive significant geologic activity.
The UVS instrument collected data on the comet's composition, including oxygen, hydrogen, and dust-related features. The unique sunward viewpoint provided a downstream view of the comet's tails, allowing researchers to gain insights into its geometries.
The discovery of PSR J2322-2650b, a Jupiter-mass exoplanet orbiting a rapidly spinning neutron star, challenges our understanding of planet formation. The exoplanet's atmosphere is dominated by molecular carbon and exhibits a unique helium-carbon composition.
A team of researchers has discovered a distinct group of hot Jupiters whose circular orbits contradict the expected timescale for tidal migration. These planets exhibit characteristics consistent with disk migration, such as primordial alignment and planet multiplicity, suggesting they formed smoothly within the protoplanetary disk.
A team of astronomers detected with precision two huge tails of gas surrounding the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121b using the James Webb Space Telescope. The continuous observation revealed a trailing tail pushed back by radiation and a leading tail pulled towards the star, covering over three times the distance between planet and star.
The Subaru Telescope's OASIS program has discovered a massive planet and a brown dwarf orbiting distant stars. These discoveries enable the upcoming Roman Space Telescope to test critical technologies for imaging Earth-like planets.
Researchers have created the first 3D map of a planet orbiting another star, highlighting distinct temperature zones on WASP-18b. The technique allows for atmospheric variations to be mapped, providing insights into exoplanet temperatures and composition.
A team led by UMD astronomers has created the first three-dimensional temperature map of a planet orbiting another star, revealing distinct temperature zones and water vapor breakdown. The new technique lays the groundwork for future explorations of faraway planets.
Researchers link Jupiter's birth to the formation of chondrites, a family of stony meteorites that preserve clues about the solar system's origins. The study suggests that Jupiter's rapid early growth created gaps and rings that protected the separation between inner and outer solar system material.
A young rogue planet has displayed a record-breaking 'growth spurt', consuming 6 billion tons of gas and dust every second over several months. The observations provide insight into the turbulent infancy of such celestial bodies, revealing a tumultuous growth process similar to that of stars like our Sun.
Astronomers have identified a rogue planet with a mass five to 10 times that of Jupiter, growing at an unprecedented rate of six billion tonnes per second. The discovery provides valuable insights into the formation and growth of rogue planets, suggesting they may share a similar path to star formation.
Astronomers detected phosphine in the atmosphere of a cool, ancient brown dwarf named Wolf 1130C using the James Webb Space Telescope. The discovery challenges previous theories and suggests that phosphorus chemistry might be more complex than initially thought.
Astronomers have detected phosphine (PH3) in the atmosphere of low-temperature brown dwarf Wolf 1130C using James Webb Space Telescope. The abundance is comparable to that of Jupiter and Saturn, with a value of 0.100 parts per million.
Astronomers from Trinity College Dublin used the James Webb Space Telescope to study the weather of a nearby rogue planet, SIMP-0136. They found strong auroral activity similar to Earth's Northern Lights and detected minute changes in temperature, cloud cover, and chemistry.
Researchers have identified undetectable asteroids orbiting Venus that could collide with Earth in the distant future. The asteroids' low eccentricity makes them invisible from ground-based observatories, but simulations suggest they pose a real risk of devastating impacts on large cities.
Researchers at Nagoya University and the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics have determined how molten rock droplets formed in Jupiter's early days. Their study shows that chondrule characteristics are influenced by the water content of impacting planetesimals, providing a clearer picture of solar system formation.
The OSIRIS-REx sample return mission revealed asteroid Bennu's composition, history, and unique materials. Researchers found stardust from other stars and organic material formed in interstellar space, shedding light on the early solar system's formation.
Researchers propose that Jupiter-sized exoplanets may accumulate and collapse into detectable black holes due to dark matter. This process could potentially generate multiple black holes in a single exoplanet's lifetime, making exoplanet surveys a promising method for hunting superheavy dark matter particles.
A new Durham University study challenges the idea that Jupiter's dilute core was formed by a giant impact, instead suggesting it resulted from how the growing planet absorbed heavy and light materials as it formed. This discovery also sheds light on Saturn's similar dilute core, implying these structures may form gradually during plane...
New research suggests Jupiter's core is actually formed through gradual absorption of heavy and light materials as the planet grew, rather than a massive collision. This dilute core structure blends into the surrounding layers without a sharp boundary.
The University of Minnesota researchers discovered a new type of plasma wave in Jupiter's aurora, which helps understand the phenomenon and its potential applications for protecting Earth. The study reveals that Jupiter's magnetic field allows particles to flood into the polar cap, unlike on Earth.
Researchers at Cornell University have discovered that hot Jupiter exoplanets can exhibit polarizing dust interactions, similar to Earth's atmospheric phenomena. Silicate crystals in these exoplanets' atmospheres may align due to high-speed winds, producing observable effects like sun dogs.
A new study from NYU Abu Dhabi found that high-energy particles from space, known as cosmic rays, could create energy needed to support life underground on planets and moons. This process, called radiolysis, can power life even in dark, cold environments with no sunlight.
Researchers used an experimental technique called annealing to rescue a damaged camera on NASA's Juno spacecraft, offering lessons for other space systems that experience high radiation.
Scientists at SwRI conducted lab experiments to explain the mysterious distribution of hydrogen peroxide on Jupiter's icy moon Europa. The research found that trace amounts of CO2 in water ice can enhance hydrogen peroxide production, shedding light on the moon's habitability and chemical cycles.
Astronomers have detected a newborn planet in action, carving out an intricate pattern in the gas and dust surrounding its young host star. The planet candidate is estimated to be twice the size of Jupiter and has been observed shaping its surroundings within the protoplanetary disc as it grows into a fully formed planet.
Researchers tracked the ultra-hot Jupiter TOI-2109b's orbital decay to understand how stars dissipate energy. The study found three possible fates for the planet: being torn apart by tidal forces, plunging into its star, or having its gaseous envelope stripped away.
NASA microbiologist James Holden is searching for signs of microbial life in Earth's deep-sea volcanoes, which he believes could be similar to those on Jupiter's moon Europa. The hydrothermal vents, where these microbes thrive, provide a unique environment that may support alien life.
A team of astronomers detected a large gas giant between three and ten times the size of Jupiter hiding in the swirling disc of gas and dust surrounding a young star called MP Mus. The discovery was made using a combination of results from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the European Space Agency’s Gaia miss...