Researchers suggest that hot, rocky planets could alter their bulk composition, density, and internal structure due to steam atmosphere loss. This process may have implications for understanding the early Earth's evolution and character.
Researchers have discovered a super-fast rotating, ultra-cool brown-dwarf star, measuring its rotational period with bursts of radio waves detected by the Arecibo telescope. This groundbreaking detection reveals new insights into the internal dynamics and magnetic field generation in these objects.
Researchers find intermediate state between gas and metal, allowing heat to escape from gas giant planetary interiors. The 'dark hydrogen' layer is metallic, conducting electricity poorly but playing a role in planetary magnetic field generation.
Astronomers have discovered a newborn exoplanet, K2-33b, which is five-10 million years old and orbits its star once every five days. The discovery provides an extraordinary snapshot of the planet formation process, allowing researchers to study how planets form and develop.
Astronomers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and San Diego State University have discovered the largest planet yet found around a double-star system. Kepler-1647 b is approximately 4.4 billion years old and has a mass and radius nearly identical to that of Jupiter.
Astronomers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and San Diego State University have discovered a new planet, Kepler-1647b, which orbits two stars and is the largest transiting circumbinary planet ever found. The planet, with a mass and radius similar to that of Jupiter, takes 3 years to orbit its host stars.
Astronomers have found evidence for a tightly orbiting gas giant, PTFO8-8695 b, which is being torn away by its 2 million-year-old star. The planet's outer layers are likely to be destroyed, and its ultimate fate remains uncertain.
Astronomers may discover these 'diamond worlds' around rare carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars, which formed in the early universe. Carbon-based life is thought to be universal, supporting the possibility of life on these unusual planets.
Astronomers at Lund University propose that Planet 9, a mysterious object in our solar system, may be an exoplanet captured by the sun. The study suggests that the sun stole the planet from its original star during a close encounter.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered a giant planet, CI Tau b, orbiting a young star in the constellation Taurus. The planet, at least eight times larger than Jupiter, orbits its 2 million-year-old star every nine days and is thought to have formed rapidly, with surrounding gas and dust still present.
Recent studies suggest that many planets orbiting M dwarf stars, which are similar in size to Earth, may retain thick atmospheres due to their strong gravity, making them inhospitable to life. However, smaller planets comparable to Venus or Mars could potentially lose these atmospheres through evaporation.
Researchers found two gaps in the gas disk that overlap with dust gaps, suggesting infant planets carve out the gaps. The team estimates a planet mass 0.8 times Jupiter's at the inner gap, but the outer gap's origin remains unclear.
Researchers find that planets in the red giant habitable zone can stay warm for up to half a billion years, potentially allowing life to thrive. This discovery offers optimism for the chances of life existing on worlds orbiting older stars.
The Kepler-223 planetary system has unusually long-term stability due to gravitational interactions between its four planets, which return to the same positions relative to each other and their host star. Numerical simulations suggest that slow migration during formation could have placed these planets into their balanced configuration.
Researchers analyze the Kepler-223 star system, finding a unique orbital configuration similar to that of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. The study suggests that the four planets may have migrated through a disk, getting stuck and maintaining their current orbits, which differs from the formation process of Earth's inner planets.
An international team of astronomers has discovered three Earth-sized planets orbiting a nearby ultracool dwarf star, TRAPPIST-1. The planets are located within the star's habitable zone and may have conditions suitable for life.
Three exoplanets, similar to Earth and Venus, orbit an ultracool dwarf star just 40 light years from Earth. The planets may have regions with temperatures suitable for liquid water and life.
A team of astronomers has discovered three planets with sizes similar to Earth's orbiting the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, which may possess habitable regions. The planets' orbits are extremely close to their host star, receiving four times and twice less radiation than Earth.
Researchers used the light echo technique to measure the distance from a young star to the inner edge of its surrounding protoplanetary disk. The study found the inner edge to be relatively thick and determined a distance of approximately 0.08 astronomical units, consistent with theoretical expectations.
A class of super-Earths with gaseous atmospheres is stripped away due to intense stellar radiation. This phenomenon occurs when planets lie close to their host stars, resulting in the loss of planetary 'envelopes', according to a new study.
New research from UEA's Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences found that oceans on distant Earth-like planets with varying salinity levels can significantly impact their climates. The study discovered that extreme salinity levels could lead to dramatic warming in polar regions, potentially extending a planet's habitability.
A new optical technology developed by Russian physicists can significantly improve the detection of exoplanets, allowing for direct observation of their images. The 'smoothed' light technique uses adaptive optics to remove atmospheric distortions, enabling telescopes to resolve the faint signals of Earth-type planets.
A Penn State-led research group has been selected by NASA to build a new instrument to detect planets orbiting stars outside our solar system. The NEID instrument will use the tiny gravitational tug of planets on their stars to discover and measure the orbits of rocky planets with liquid water.
The Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) will aid researchers in unraveling the secrets of the universe by studying dark energy and dark matter. The observatory will discover new worlds outside our solar system and advance the search for life-suitable planets.
Astronomers have discovered a crescent-shaped dust cloud in the outer reaches of a binary star's protoplanetary disk, providing fresh insights into planet formation. The cloud may be the key to forming planets in binary systems, with its lack of free-floating gases likely due to freezing out and forming ice on dust grains.
A new simulation study suggests that Jupiter's most important role in fostering life on Earth was delivering volatile materials from the outer Solar System. The study also proposes that a Solar System with one or more planets similar to Jupiter located beyond the region of potential terrestrial planets is beneficial for life development.
A new theory suggests that life on other planets would become extinct quickly due to unstable planetary environments. The Gaian Bottleneck model proposes that most fossils in the universe are from extinct microbial life, not complex species like dinosaurs or humans.
Researchers argue that globular clusters can host planets with conditions suitable for life, despite initial concerns. The environment of these dense star clusters may allow for stable planetary systems to form and survive for billions of years.
Researchers have developed a new technique to accurately measure the surface gravity of distant stars, allowing for more precise analysis of exoplanet sizes and habitability. This breakthrough will play a crucial role in the study of planets beyond our Solar System.
Researchers have discovered 'forbidden' compounds in super-Earths that could increase heat transfer rates and strengthen magnetic fields. These compounds, formed by silicon, oxygen, and magnesium at high pressures, have different properties than normal compounds, making them important for generating powerful magnetic fields.
Astronomers at the University of New South Wales have discovered three potentially habitable planets around a nearby red dwarf star called Wolf 1061. The middle planet, Wolf 1061c, is located within the Goldilocks zone and may be able to support liquid water and life.
Scientists have finally shed light on the atmospheres of a group of planets orbiting stars outside our solar system. A team of experts analyzed observations from NASA and ESA telescopes, revealing that water was hidden by haze and cloud on some hot-Jupiter exoplanets.
A team of astronomers has solved the long-standing mystery of missing water in hot Jupiter-sized exoplanets by analyzing atmospheric data from NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. The study found that cloudy atmospheres are responsible for hiding water, ruling out dry hot Jupiters.
Astronomers have studied ten hot Jupiter-sized exoplanets in detail using Hubble and Spitzer telescopes. The results show that planetary atmospheres are more diverse than expected, with some planets containing clouds and haze that hide water from view. This solves the mystery of why some exoplanets appear to have less water than expected.
University of Arizona researchers captured the first photo of a planet forming in a gap within LkCa15's disk, providing insights into protoplanetary formation. The study utilized advanced telescopes and imaging techniques to observe the young star and its surrounding disk.
A UCLA professor has proposed a simpler way to define what makes a planet, extending the current definition to all planetary systems. The new approach requires estimates of star mass and planet mass and orbital period, which can be easily obtained with Earth- or space-based telescopes.
Astronomers suggest that large spiral patterns in circumstellar disks around young stars may indicate the presence of giant unseen planets. Computer simulations support this idea by showing how gas-and-dust disks evolve and how planets can modify disk structures, revealing their mass and position.
Researchers used a new process to model planetary formation, showing that rocky planets grow from pebbles, resulting in the massive differences between Earth and Mars. The VSPA model explains why Mars is smaller than expected by suggesting that aerodynamic drag prevents pebbles from colliding with objects near the Red Planet.
Researchers at Princeton University have predicted a new phase of superionic ice with unusual conductivity properties. The P21/c-SI phase occurs at high pressures beyond giant ice planets, offering insights into the material's behavior.
A new theoretical study suggests that only eight percent of potentially habitable planets will ever form in the universe, while the bulk of those planets - 92 percent - have yet to be born. This conclusion is based on an assessment of data collected by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the Kepler space observatory.
Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a new method for measuring the mass of pulsars, highly magnetised rotating neutron stars. This breakthrough technique relies on principles of nuclear physics and can be used to measure the mass of young pulsars in isolation.
Astronomers create a new metric, the 'habitability index,' to prioritize exoplanets for search of life. The index takes into account planetary rockiness and eccentricity-albedo degeneracy, ranking planets with liquid water potential.
Research suggests that tidally locked planets may have protective magnetic fields due to tidal heating, which helps maintain surface conditions conducive to life. This finding challenges the previous assumption that such planets are at mercy of their star.
Astronomers discovered large discs of dust around two young red dwarf stars near our solar system, hinting at potential new planetary systems forming. The discovery challenges current theories on planet formation and suggests a longer lifespan for such discs.
Scientists from KU Leuven discovered that two of three possible climates on rocky exoplanets are potentially habitable. The 'air conditioning system' keeps surface temperatures within the habitable range, despite permanent day and night sides. This finding provides valuable input for future space missions.
Research suggests oxygen in atmospheres of habitable extrasolar planets might not necessarily come from biological processes, potentially expanding the search for life. Scientists have proposed alternative explanations for oxygen formation, including abiotic reactions on planetary surfaces.
Researchers found that magnesium oxide can react with oxygen under high-pressure conditions, potentially leading to the formation of magnesium peroxide in rocky planets outside our Solar System. This suggests that the interiors of these planets may have a different chemical composition than Earth's mantle.
Researchers explore Earth's most extreme lifeforms to predict what life could be like elsewhere in the universe. They suggest water-hydrogen peroxide mixtures for Mars-like environments and liquid hydrocarbons for Titan-like planets, with organisms adapting to frigid temperatures and slow metabolisms.
Researchers suggest planetary pebbles, icy objects about a foot in diameter, were the building blocks for Jupiter and Saturn. This new model improves solar system formation models, producing the observed structure of the solar system with two gas giants, two ice giants, and a pristine Kuiper belt.
The newly discovered exoplanet, 51 Eridani b, is a young Jupiter-like planet with the strongest methane signature ever detected on an alien planet. Its mass and atmospheric composition suggest that it formed in a similar way to Jupiter in its infancy.
A team of researchers has discovered a Jupiter-like planet, 51 Eridani b, within a young system that could provide new understanding of how planets formed around our sun. The planet shows the strongest methane signature ever detected on an alien planet, yielding clues about its formation.
A team of UCLA scientists discovers a Jupiter-like planet, 51 Eridani b, which orbits a nearby star at a distance similar to Saturn's orbit. The planet has the strongest concentration of methane ever detected on a planet outside the Milky Way and is roughly twice the mass of Jupiter.
The team discovered a Jupiter-like planet, called 51 Eridani b, about twice the size of Jupiter and featuring the strongest methane signature ever detected on an alien planet. The discovery sheds light on how planets formed around our sun and could unlock secrets of gas giants' planetary systems.
Scientists have discovered a Jupiter-like planet, 51 Eridani b, in a young star system that could help understand how planets formed around our sun. The exoplanet features the strongest methane signature ever detected and is roughly twice the mass of Jupiter.
Scientists have discovered a Jupiter-like planet in the young system 51 Eridani b, featuring the strongest atmospheric methane signal ever detected. The exoplanet's unique characteristics hint at its rapid formation process, offering insights into solar system evolution.
A team of astronomers has discovered a Jupiter-like exoplanet called 51 Eridani b, which shows the strongest methane signature ever detected on an alien planet. The new planet is the faintest exoplanet on record and provides clues about how planets formed around the sun.
Astronomers confirm exoplanet orbiting far from its central star using gravitational microlensing, opening new discovery space for long-period orbits. The Uranus-sized planet is about 370 million miles from its parent star, with a host star about 70% as massive as our Sun.
Researchers discovered that brown dwarf stars, which are difficult to detect and classify, host powerful auroras similar to Earth's display. The study used radio and optical telescopes to observe a brown dwarf 20 light years away, providing evidence that these stars act like supersized planets.
A team of astronomers led by Gregg Hallinan has discovered that brown dwarfs, which are cool and dim objects, host powerful auroras near their magnetic poles. The findings suggest that these so-called failed stars behave more like giant planets with highly active magnetic fields.
Astronomers have discovered a powerful aurora on a brown dwarf, 10,000 times more powerful than any seen before. The discovery reveals a major difference in magnetic activity between low-mass stars and planets.