Astronomers have found four stable groups of asteroids around the Sun: Kuiper Belt, Jupiter Trojans, main asteroid belt, and now Neptune Trojans. The new discoveries suggest a large population of high-inclination Neptune Trojans, which may have formed after giant planets settled into their orbits.
Astronomers propose that super-Earths can form around red dwarf stars via ultraviolet stripping, a process previously thought to only create gas giant planets. The new theory suggests that the mass of the central star determines whether a planet forms as a gas giant or a super-Earth.
Researchers have discovered six 'planemos,' planetary mass objects with masses similar to extra-solar planets, surrounded by dusty discs that may evolve into miniature planetary systems. These findings suggest similar infancies for our Sun and smaller objects, blurring the definition of a planet.
Researchers found four 'planemos' with dusty disks that could evolve into miniature planetary systems. The discovery challenges the traditional view of what constitutes a planet.
Asteroid Itokawa's surface composition was determined by Brown University researcher Takahiro Hiroi, who linked it to LL chondrites, a common class of stony meteorites. The team also described the asteroid's diverse terrain, suggesting it may be an earlier stage of asteroid evolution and formation.
A new model for the capture of planetary satellites involving a three-body gravitational encounter between a binary and a planet suggests that Triton was originally part of a binary pair orbiting the Sun. This mechanism introduces a new pathway for satellite capture by planets, which may be relevant to other objects in the solar system.
Researchers have discovered rivers beneath the ice in Antarctica, moving water hundreds of miles under the surface. The findings suggest that these lakes could support microbial life and potentially release large floods that could affect ocean circulation.
The discovery of a blue ring around Uranus reveals similarities with Saturn's E ring, both associated with small moons. Researchers attribute the blue color to gravitational forces acting on dust particles that allow smaller ones to survive while larger ones are recaptured by the moon.
A new study at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory reveals a four-step process to produce oxygen in frigid environments, challenging previous models. Oxygen isotopes measured during experiments showed that intermediate species of hydrogen-oxygen permeate the ice film.
Researchers have devised a method to catch the early stages of gas-giant core accretion, suggesting that young intermediate-sized cores could be a clear indicator of core accretion. The existence of these cores would likely yield gas-giant planets in as little as 1,000 years around small, gravitationally weak stars.
Scientists embark on an Arctic trek with sled dogs to collect snow samples and validate satellite observations. The goal is to improve understanding of global snow cover and its impact on water resources, particularly in the American West where melting snow supplies 70% of western states' water supply.
Scientists have found evidence of volcanic activity on Enceladus, a key player in shaping the E ring. The discovery sheds light on the dynamics of ice particles in Saturn's system and challenges existing assumptions about how the moon contributes to the ring's mass distribution.
Astronomers discover high-temperature minerals in comet Wild 2, challenging the formation of crystalline materials. The Stardust mission brings back samples from the coldest spot in the solar system, providing clues about the origin of these materials.
A team of researchers from Johns Hopkins University and Los Alamos National Laboratory found that large fluid vortices raid their smaller neighbors in an energy grab, sustaining a steady-state inverse energy cascade. This phenomenon forms a food-chain of vortices, with larger ones preying on smaller ones.
Scientists have discovered a creep mechanism in high-pressure phases of ice that affects grain size, indicating weaker ice layers in giant icy moons. This finding challenges previous theories on the thermal evolution and internal dynamics of these moons.
Researchers capture proton motion in molecules with unprecedented accuracy, allowing for better study and control of molecular behavior. The technique enables improved methods of molecular synthesis and nano-fabrication of new materials.
Scientists simulated the cores of giant planets and exoplanets to understand how they formed and evolved. They found that extreme temperatures and pressures lead to the formation of metallic crystals, affecting a planet's magnetic field and surface activity.
Margaret Turnbull has shortlisted five stars for radio signal detection and five for direct imaging of Earth-like planets. Her criteria include age, metallicity, and residency on the main sequence, favoring Sun-like stars with stable orbits.
The study uses a Fourier transform ICR mass spectrometer to analyze protein molecules and measure changes in receptor dynamics upon binding. This technique enables highly accurate pictures of tiny amounts of protein molecules, offering a powerful way to probe drug-protein interactions.
Astronomers have calculated the density of binary asteroid Patroclus, suggesting it is composed mostly of water ice covered by a patina of dirt. The team proposes that Patroclus and other Trojan asteroids may be dirty snowballs formed in the outer reaches of the solar system.
Astronomers discover an Earth-like planet with a solid core, orbiting a red dwarf star five times less massive than the sun. The discovery, made using microlensing technique, reveals thousands of potentially habitable planets in distant parts of the galaxy.
The discovery of OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb provides strong evidence that low-mass planets, potentially supporting life, are more common than Jupiter-like gas giants. Researchers hope the gravitational microlensing technique will reveal more habitable worlds in the Milky Way galaxy.
Astronomers have discovered the first and only icy exoplanet that matches theoretical predictions for Solar System formation. OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb orbits a small red star at an extremely close distance, with a surface temperature of -220°C, and is likely to resemble Pluto more than rocky planets like Earth.
Astronomers have discovered a planet orbiting a 600-million-year-old star using the Exoplanet Tracker, a faster and cheaper instrument. The new method allows for more efficient search of distant stars, potentially uncovering planets capable of supporting life.
Astronomers have found a massive star cluster in the Milky Way, consisting of 14 supergiants with a total mass of at least 20,000 solar masses. This discovery may challenge existing massive star formation models and provides valuable insights into the evolution of these stars.
Research on Martian aurorae reveals localized ultraviolet emissions near magnetic field lines. Air pollution reduction could exacerbate global warming due to increased solar radiation scattering. A new study detects potential oilfield brine leaks in Nueces Bay, Texas, using sediment resistivity and radium isotope analysis.
The University of Colorado's Student Dust Counter instrument will monitor dust grain density in space as New Horizons approaches Pluto. The team hopes to identify undetected clumps of dust, shedding light on the solar system's formation and other stars' planetary systems.
Researchers discovered hundreds of auroras on Mars over six years, linked to strong magnetic field patches in the crust. These events produce ultraviolet light and are not as colorful as Earth's auroras.
A team of astronomers has discovered a hot Jupiter planet in a triple star system, challenging conventional theories of planetary formation. The discovery suggests that it is possible for planets to form around the host star and then be captured by a binary system, explaining the unusual configuration of the HD 188753 system.
Researchers created a three-dimensional computer model that generates Jupiter's massive east-west winds and alternating jets at higher latitudes. The model suggests convection driven by deep internal heat sources powers the surface winds, providing a possible answer to why they remain stable for centuries.
Jupiter's atmosphere is driven by heat from within the planet, creating organized wind chaos. The computer models explain why there are two classes of jet winds: strong and narrow near the equator, but weak and wide at higher latitudes due to the planet's curvature and rotation.
Researchers have found that high-voltage sparks can produce x-ray bursts, similar to those observed during lightning. This discovery opens the door for studying the poorly understood phenomenon of runaway breakdown in a lab setting.
A team of astronomers investigated six young brown dwarfs and found that dust particles in their circumstellar discs stuck together, forming larger clumps of olivine. This material is also found in comets and normal stars, suggesting a similar growth process in planet formation
Researchers at Imperial College London analysed primitive meteorites, coal-like rocks older than the Earth, and found they are depleted of volatile elements. This suggests 'volatile depletion' may be an inevitable part of planet formation across many planetary systems.
Astronomers have found two young stars with 'gaps' in their disks that resemble the gaps between Jupiter and Uranus in our solar system. The discovery challenges existing theories of giant-planet formation and provides a unique window into how our own solar system came to be.
The study reported a 10.6% rate of stent-related MACE for the control Tecnic group, while the Janus group had a 6.4% rate, with a significant reduction in TLR, and no stent thrombosis occurred
Astronomers have discovered a triple asteroid system, with minor planet 87 Sylvia and its twin moons Romulus and Remus. The asteroids were found using the NACO instrument at ESO's Very Large Telescope Array in Chile, revealing details about their orbits and composition.
Astronomers have discovered the first triple asteroid system, 87 Sylvia, consisting of a large asteroid and two smaller moons, Romulus and Remus. The discovery reveals that the asteroids may be formed from debris left over from collisions between larger asteroids.
The newly discovered planet, orbiting Gliese 876, is the smallest and first rocky terrestrial planet found around a normal star. Its surface temperature may be too hot for life as we know it due to its close proximity to the star.
Astronomers have detected a planet in a solar system 15,000 light years from Earth, one of the most distant ever discovered. The discovery was made possible by a technique called gravitational microlensing, which involves monitoring the brightness of a star as a massive object in space passes in front of it.
Researchers explain violent origins of extrasolar planetary behavior, citing planet-planet scattering as key factor. The study's findings suggest that strong instabilities led to the formation of highly eccentric orbits in multiple systems.
Researchers have directly measured light from two confirmed extrasolar planets, HD 209458b and TrES-1, using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The gas giants, similar to Jupiter, orbit close to their stars and radiate strongly in the infrared, with temperatures reaching up to 1,574 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Cassini mission has captured high-resolution images of Titan, revealing a geologically young surface with signs of tectonic resurfacing and erosion by liquid hydrocarbons. The surface features complex patterns, including channels and linear boundaries, indicating ongoing geological processes.
Researchers improved hurricane prediction using high-resolution general circulation models, predicting the course of four storms with increased accuracy. A new study found that solar emissions likely control Jupiter's X-ray emissions, providing a potential proxy for monitoring flares invisible to space weather satellites.
Astronomers using the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton telescope discovered that Jupiter's x-ray glow is due to x-rays from the Sun being reflected back off the planet's atmosphere. The discovery synchronises Jupiter's day-to-day disk x-rays with the Sun's emissions, providing new insights into solar activity.
Scientists have long puzzled over the origin of chondrules, glassy particles found in meteorites that formed in the solar nebula. New calculations suggest that spiral arms in the disk surrounding Jupiter may have generated shock waves that melted dust clumps to form these particles.
Cassini mission data reveals the formation of molecular oxygen atmospheres in Saturn's rings without life present. This finding suggests that oxygen can be produced through non-biological means, complicating the search for life beyond Earth.
A team of astronomers led by Clarke gathered data on Saturn's aurora using Cassini and Hubble spacecraft. Their observations revealed that Saturn's aurora differ in character from day to day, with varying lengths and behaviors compared to Earth's and Jupiter's.
Astronomers have discovered the smallest extra-solar planet to date, orbiting a pulsar in a planetary system resembling our own inner solar system. The new planet is estimated to be one-fifth the mass of Pluto and has an orbit approximately six times larger than its third planet.
An international team of astronomers using the VLT's NACO SDI camera discovered a faint companion to AB Dor A, a young star, which is 93 times more massive than Jupiter and twice as heavy as predicted. The object's mass was determined by observing its precise location and orbit around its host star.
Researchers found a young, faint companion to a star, measuring its mass for the first time. The object is 93 times as massive as Jupiter, contradicting theoretical predictions.
Astronomers use Hubble's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer to observe a faint companion object orbiting a relatively bright young brown dwarf star. The observations provide strong evidence for the existence of an extrasolar planet, which is estimated to be about five times the mass of Jupiter.
Astronomers have discovered a candidate planetary companion to a relatively bright young brown dwarf star located 225 light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra. The object, detected by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, is estimated to be about five times the mass of Jupiter and orbits its host at a 99% confidence level.
The project aims to present evidence for the existence of ultra-psychrophiles in sub-freezing environments like Alaskan permafrost. The research has broader impacts, including more reliable climate predictions and development of efficient biocatalysts for below freezing temperatures.
A nuclear-powered space mission to Neptune, expected to launch between 2016 and 2018, aims to gather data on the planet's atmosphere and its largest moon Triton. The mission will employ electrical and optical sensors to study Neptune's atmospheric elemental ratios, gravity, and magnetic fields.
Researchers at the University of Washington are developing a new propulsion concept that could dramatically cut the time needed for astronauts to travel to and from Mars. The mag-beam concept uses a space-based station to generate a stream of magnetized ions that propel a spacecraft through the solar system, potentially reducing round ...
Using the Spitzer Space Telescope, Hubble Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory, researchers observed the Kepler's supernova remnant, uncovering a bubble-shaped shroud of gas and dust expanding at 4 million miles per hour. The observations revealed distinct features, including heated interstellar dust and regions of hot gas.
Astronomers have discovered a Jupiter-sized gas giant orbiting a star located 500 light-years from Earth. The newly found world circles its star every 3.03 days at a distance of only 4 million miles, much closer and faster than Mercury in our solar system.
Scientists used computer models to analyze the internal structures of Jupiter and Saturn, finding that heavy elements like iron are concentrated in Saturn's core. The research uses data from shock compression experiments and helps improve models of the planets' formation.
A team of astronomers using a novel camera will hunt for planets orbiting other stars, aiming to directly image faint gas-giants. The SDI camera has already made stunning images of Saturn's moon Titan and discovered an object near Jupiter in solar systems beyond our own.