Hubble made its one millionth science observation while analyzing the exoplanet HAT-P-7b's atmosphere, revealing spectroscopic patterns that can indicate water vapor presence. The milestone marks Hubble's continued legacy in characterizing exoplanet atmospheres.
A University of Arizona planetary scientist has determined Neptune's rotation with high accuracy by tracking atmospheric features in its atmosphere. The discovery improves upon previous measurements and provides a better understanding of the planet's fundamental properties.
Jupiter's Grand Tack model reveals the planet's youthful travels profoundly impacted the solar system. The giant planet's migration toward and away from the sun altered the nature of the asteroid belt, making Mars smaller than expected. The new model suggests Jupiter perturbed objects in the asteroid belt instead of destroying it.
A new study published in Nature suggests Mars developed rapidly into a small planet due to its rapid formation. Scientists used the radioactive decay of hafnium to tungsten in meteorites as a chronometer and found that Mars likely didn't collide with other embryos to form an Earth-like planet.
A new study published in Nature reveals that Mars developed in just two to four million years after the solar system's formation, significantly faster than Earth. This rapid formation helps explain why Mars is so small compared to our planet.
Kepler's first four months of data reveal evidence for over 1,200 planetary candidates, with 408 residing in systems containing two or more planets. These multi-planet systems are characterized by flat orbits, tilted less than 1 degree, and lack Jupiter-sized gas giants.
Researchers have discovered that some extrasolar planets, known as hot Jupiters, can orbit in the opposite direction of their star's spin. This occurs due to gravitational interactions with nearby planets, which perturb the inner planet's orbit and cause it to lose energy via strong tides.
Astronomers at Northwestern University have developed a computer simulation that explains how hot Jupiters form with flipped orbits around their stars. The study, published in Nature, suggests that gravitational perturbations from other planets in the system can cause the inner planet to lose energy and orbit closer to its star.
A Planet of Viruses delves into the world of viruses, revealing how they've shaped the evolution of life and continue to pose a threat to human health. The book also discusses innovative ways to harness viruses for medical breakthroughs.
Astronomers discover densest solid planet 55 Cancri e, with a diameter 60% larger than Earth, orbiting its star every 17 hours. The planet's immense density makes it unlikely to have an atmosphere at surface temperatures of up to 2,700 degrees Celsius.
Early Earth's core may have formed from lighter chromium isotopes, which are mostly missing from the planet's mantle and crust. This finding provides new insights into the planet formation process.
Simulations suggest Saturn's rings and inner moons formed after a massive satellite collided with the planet. The resulting debris formed the icy rings and ice-rich inner moons.
Astronomers have discovered a fourth giant planet in the HR8799 system, which is approximately seven times the mass of Jupiter. The system, consisting of four giant planets and two asteroid belts, is young compared to our solar system and may be on the verge of falling apart due to gravitational interactions.
The discovery of the fourth giant planet in the HR 8799 system strengthens the resemblance between this exoplanetary system and our own, with all four planets being similar in size. Detailed study of HR 8799e will be challenging due to its relative faintness and proximity to its star.
The newly discovered fourth planet (HR 8799e) orbits a bright star called HR 8799, which lies some 129 light years from Earth and is faintly visible to the naked eye. The mass of the HR 8799 planetary system is much greater than our own.
A gas-giant planet orbiting a sun-like star has been found to be rich in carbon, with rocks potentially made of pure diamond or graphite. The discovery challenges conventional planetary chemistry and raises questions about the possibility of life on this extreme world.
Astronomers have discovered a planet from another galaxy orbiting a star that has entered our Milky Way, providing the first confirmed detection of an extragalactic exoplanet. The planet, HIP 13044 b, was detected using high-resolution spectrograph FEROS attached to the MPG/ESO telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory.
New work by astrophysicist David Kipping reveals that astronomers can calculate a star's mass using its orbiting planet and moon. By measuring the size of the planet and moon relative to the star and their orbital periods, scientists can use Kepler's Laws of Motion to determine the density of the star.
Using new optics technology developed at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, astronomers have obtained images of a planet on a closer orbit around its parent star than any other extrasolar planet previously found. The discovery enables scientists to search for planets closer to the star than has been previously possible.
A team of astronomers has discovered an Earth-sized planet orbiting a nearby star in the middle of its habitable zone, where liquid water could exist. The newly found planet, Gliese 581g, is tidally locked and has stable surface climates, offering a wide range of temperatures for potential life forms.
Scientists have discovered an Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone of a nearby star, making it potentially habitable. The newly discovered planet, Gliese 581g, is about three to four times the mass of Earth and has a stable surface climate.
Researchers have found potassium in the atmosphere of a giant planet, HD 80606 b, using narrow-band transit spectrophotometry. The discovery supports previous computer models and demonstrates the value of this observational technique for characterizing planets that might support life.
The discovery of two planets, Kepler 9b and 9c, confirms the first planetary system with more than one planet transiting the same star. The planets, both Saturn-sized gas giants, exhibit orbital resonance and gravitational interaction.
A team of astronomers from the University of Florida has discovered two Saturn-sized planets and a possible third planet with an Earth-like size orbiting a distant star. The discovery was made using a new method of confirming planets called transit timing variation, which allows for more efficient confirmation of planetary systems.
A team of researchers has discovered that Saturn's aurora pulses in tandem with its radio emissions, providing a long-suspected link between the two phenomena. The discovery offers new insights into Saturn's irregular heartbeat and has significant implications for understanding the planet's rotation period.
Computer modeling reveals that planets in habitable zones can fluctuate between life-supporting conditions and inhospitable temperatures due to giant neighbor's gravitational pull. This can cause drastic changes in a planet's orbit, potentially altering its geological properties over long timescales.
Researchers from the University of the Basque Country and American scientists publish first results of a study on the impact of a large-sized celestial body on Jupiter last July. The impact created a massive ash cloud of around 5,000 km in size, with surrounding halo effects.
Scientists from NASA and the European Space Agency found evidence of relatively young lava flows on Venus, suggesting the planet remains capable of volcanic eruptions. These findings indicate that volcanic activity on Venus is likely gradual rather than cataclysmic.
Researchers discovered a layer where helium condenses into droplets, allowing neon to dissolve and fall towards the planet's interior. This phenomenon explains the observed lack of neon in Jupiter's upper atmosphere.
Corot-9b, a gas giant planet, has an interior similar to that of Jupiter and Saturn, allowing it to maintain liquid water. The planet's distance from its star and lack of tidal forces make this possibility plausible.
An international team of scientists has discovered a new planet called CoRoT-9b, similar in size to Jupiter. Located 1500 light-years from Earth, the planet orbits a star similar to our sun and is considered temperate.
Astronomers have discovered a temperate exoplanet, Corot-9b, with a mass about 80% that of Jupiter and an orbit similar to Mercury's. The planet is thought to have a temperature range of -20°C to 160°C, making it a significant finding in the study of exoplanets.
The massive planet WASP-12b is being torn apart by the gravitational forces of its host star, resulting in a 'death march' that explains its unusually large size. The research also suggests the presence of a super-Earth in the disk around the star.
A team of researchers led by Bruce Macintosh has won the AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize for their groundbreaking discovery of multiple planets orbiting a distant star. The study, published in Science, provides new insights into the detection and characterization of exoplanets.
Researchers suggest a 400km-deep density trap formed due to unique geophysical conditions 3.5 billion years ago, trapping gases like helium and argon inside the planet.
Astronomers from Caltech and other institutions have detected an extrasolar planet, HD 156668b, with a mass just four times that of Earth. The discovery highlights the potential for finding Earth-mass planets in the habitable zone, making it a promising lead in the search for life beyond our solar system.
Researchers discover CoRoT-7b, an earth-like planet, is believed to be the rocky remains of a Saturn-sized gas giant. Computer models reveal that the planet's mass loss and tidal migration led to its transformation.
The NASA Deep Impact spacecraft has captured videos of sun glints from space, indicating the presence of large bodies of water on Earth. The observations provide a way to detect planets beyond our solar system that are likely to have expanses of liquid, increasing the chances of finding life.
CoRoT-7 b is a rocky planet circling a star 480 light years from Earth, with temperatures above 4,000 degrees F on its surface and potentially hosting multiple volcanoes due to its close orbit. Its extreme volcanic activity makes it unlikely to harbor life.
Astronomers have discovered a 'super-Earth' orbiting a red dwarf star 40 light-years from Earth. The planet, GJ1214b, is about 6.5 times as massive as the Earth and orbits its star once every 38 hours.
Astronomers have directly imaged a faint celestial body orbiting the star GJ 758, estimated to be between 10 and 40 Jupiter masses. The discovered planet, GJ 758 B, has a temperature of around 330 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest companion of a Sun-like star ever imaged.
An international team of scientists has made the first direct observation of a planet-like object orbiting a star similar to the sun. The object, GJ 758 B, is estimated to be 10-40 times as massive as Jupiter and orbits its star at a distance of approximately 300 trillion miles.
A new study reveals a more extensive valley network on Mars, indicating the presence of an ancient ocean. The findings suggest that rainfall and precipitation played a major role in shaping the Martian landscape.
Astronomers have discovered that Sun-like stars with planetary systems tend to have lower levels of lithium than those without planets. The study, which analyzed 500 stars, found that planet-bearing stars had less than 1% of the lithium present in other similar stars.
MESSENGER will zip within 142 miles of Mercury's surface, taking high-resolution color images and ultraviolet measurements. CU-Boulder's MASCS instrument aims to pinpoint iron on the planet's surface, which maintains its magnetic field.
A team of researchers led by Dr. Nicholas Lang is studying three ancient Martian volcanoes to better understand the planet's history and potential water sources. The study may have implications for the search for life on Mars, as liquid water could have existed in the past.
Researchers believe that Galileo's notebooks from 1613 may reveal evidence of his discovery of a new planet, which is now known as Neptune. The planet was observed by Galileo as a faint star near Jupiter and moved relative to an actual nearby star.
Researchers at Arizona State University suggest early greening of the planet by primitive ground huggers led to complex life on Earth. This event, around 700 million years ago, allowed for soil sequestration of carbon and increase in oxygen levels, paving the way for higher life forms.
A team of international scientists captured a snapshot of Earth's chemical signature using a lunar eclipse, providing crucial information for identifying potentially habitable planets. The observation, published in Nature magazine, offers a unique opportunity to study planetary atmospheres and compositions.
Astronomers use new calculations to redefine habitable zones, considering tidal forces that can impact planet's climate and life. The revised definition limits potential habitable environments, focusing searches on overlapping zones.
Astronomers at the Science and Technology Facilities Council's William Herschel Telescope have confirmed an effective way to search the atmospheres of planets for signs of life. This method uses transmission spectra, which can reveal vital information about a planet's atmosphere, providing clues about potential biological processes.
Scientists have discovered magnetic tornadoes on Mercury that could be replenishing its extremely thin atmosphere. These 'tornadoes' form when magnetic fields carried by the solar wind connect to Mercury's magnetic field, twisting into vortex-like structures.
Researchers at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have created an 'astro-comb' to help detect lighter planets around distant stars. The technique sharpens spectroscopy, enabling more accurate pinpointing of planet locations and opening possibilities for detecting more Earth-like planets.
Researchers constructed a nearly complete globe of Mercury using high-resolution and multispectral images, revealing its composition and origin. The study suggests that Mercury's crust formed in repeated volcanic eruptions, unlike the Moon.
Researchers detected magnesium in Mercury's atmosphere during a MESSENGER flyby, surprising scientists with its distribution and abundance. The discovery is one clue to understanding the creation of the rocky planet closest to the sun.
Astronomers have found evidence of planet destruction caused by a star's tides, with some planets falling into their parent stars. The research uses computer models and observations to show that the tidal forces can misshape the star's surface, leading to the planet's demise.
Astronomers are getting closer to finding an Earth-sized planet in an Earth-like orbit, but detecting its atmosphere will require hundreds of transits and advanced telescopes like JWST. Red dwarf stars offer the best possibility of detecting biomarkers in a transiting Earth's atmosphere.
Researchers have determined the pressure needed to melt diamond, creating a new state of carbon, and potentially aiding nuclear fusion efforts. This discovery could help explain planetary magnetic fields and improve simulations of celestial bodies.
The European team discovered the smallest transiting extrasolar planet, CoRoT-Exo-7b, orbiting a star slightly smaller than the Sun. The planet's radius is about twice that of Earth and orbits its host star in just 20 hours.
Researchers observed the intense heating of HD 80606b as it swung close to its star, providing clues to its atmospheric properties. The data enabled the creation of realistic images of the planet using computer simulations.