Astronomers use Gemini South Telescope to study how planet formation differs in low-mass star systems, discovering large rings composed of tiny dust grains around some stars. The team also finds a potential new exoplanet candidate orbiting a young star with a mass similar to Jupiter.
Scientists have discovered a new multiplanet system about 33 light-years from Earth, featuring two rocky, Earth-sized planets. The inner planet orbits every 2.8 days and is twice as massive as the Earth, while the outer planet orbits every 5.7 days and is three times as massive.
The Gemini North telescope has helped astronomers understand why Uranus and Neptune have different colors. Excess haze on Uranus builds up in its stagnant atmosphere, making it appear lighter than Neptune's. The team developed a single atmospheric model that matches observations of both planets.
Researchers analyzed iron samples from asteroid cores to determine the timing of asteroid core cooling and collisions. The study suggests that violent collisions occurred within a 7.8-11.7 million year window after solar system formation, indicating a chaotic early phase.
A new study suggests that younger rocky exoplanets are more likely to support temperate climates due to the decay of radioactive isotopes. This critical heat source is necessary for a planet's mantle convection and surface volcanic degassing, which helps regulate climate.
Astronomers at Stanford University propose a new method to manipulate solar gravitational lensing to create advanced imaging capabilities for detecting and studying exoplanets. The technique, developed by Alexander Madurowicz, uses the sun's gravity as a natural telescope to capture fine details on planet surfaces.
Researchers have uncovered significant trends in hot Jupiters' atmospheres, including dramatic temperature swings and the presence of metallic elements. The study's findings provide valuable insights into the evolution of our solar system and offer a better understanding of exoplanet populations.
An international team of researchers analyzed data from 25 hot Jupiters, finding a link between thermal inversions and the presence of hydrogen anion and metallic species. These findings will help establish a generalized theory of planet formation, improving our understanding of all planets, including Earth.
A team of researchers has discovered a young protoplanet forming in the disk of a nearby star, providing new evidence for an alternative planet formation mechanism. The study's findings challenge traditional models of planet formation and offer insights into the evolution of exoplanets.
Astronomers have directly photographed evidence of a Jupiter-like protoplanet forming through the disk instability process, supported by long-debated theory. The new world under construction is embedded in a protoplanetary disk with distinct spiral structure and orbits a young star estimated to be around 2 million years old.
Impact craters reveal insights into planetary bodies' evolution, structure, and composition. By studying impact craters on various planets and asteroids, researchers can determine the formation timeline of these celestial bodies and gain knowledge about their interiors.
Three exoplanets mistakenly identified as planets are actually small stars, according to a new MIT study. The discovery was made using updated measurements of planet-hosting stars from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission.
Dr Henrik Melin, a researcher at the University of Leicester, has been awarded the third-ever Webb Fellowship to study the atmospheres of giant planets using the James Webb Space Telescope. He aims to understand the mechanisms driving powerful aurorae on these planets and address the 'energy crisis' in their upper atmospheres.
Scientists have developed a new way to date asteroid collisions, providing a clearer picture of how planets formed. By analyzing the Chelyabinsk meteorite, researchers found evidence of two distinct collision stages, shedding light on the timing and processes involved in planetary formation.
A team of astronomers led by the University of Birmingham detected a rare circumbinary planet, Kepler-16b, using radial velocity method. The discovery provides clues on planetary accretion and demonstrates that ground-based telescopes can be used for modern exoplanet research.
Researchers found that passing stars, misaligned binary stars, and passing gas clouds can warp protoplanetary discs, disrupting spiral structures. This warping heats up the disc, making it harder for planets to form via gravitational instability.
Astronomers have detected two mini-Neptune planets losing their atmospheres due to stellar radiation. The finding provides evidence that these worlds may be transforming into super-Earths. The study uses data from W. M. Keck Observatory and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
Astronomers have identified two mini-Neptune planets losing their puffy atmospheres, transforming into super-Earths. The gas escaping these planets is driven by stellar radiation, with some gas flowing towards the star.
Researchers discovered that a large cavity in the discs surrounding evolved binary stars could be evidence of planet formation. The presence of heavy elements on the surface of dying stars suggests that dust particles rich in these elements were trapped by planets, supporting this hypothesis.
Researchers found that only certain types of planets can form large moons in respect to their host planets. They propose that smaller planets are better candidates to host fractionally large moons. This study provides constraints for future observations and sheds light on the formation of Earth's unique moon.
Researchers analyzed the exoplanet WASP-189b's atmosphere, discovering distinct layers with varying characteristics. The study reveals the importance of considering three-dimensional atmospheric structures in understanding exoplanets.
A team led by Basmah Riaz has detected deuterated methane in three proto-brown dwarfs, indicating a warmer gas composition than expected. This finding suggests that brown dwarfs may not be simply scaled-down versions of stars.
Researchers used high-powered lasers to determine the melting temperature of iron at conditions similar to those in super-Earth exoplanet cores. The findings suggest that super-Earths are likely to have longer magnetically shielded habitability periods than Earth, potentially supporting life as we know it.
The study of XO-3b reveals stronger seasonal variations than Earth's, with temperatures reaching 2,000 degrees C. The planet's oval orbit and high surface temperatures suggest a history of migration toward its parent star.
Three newly-discovered gas giant planets have extremely short orbits around subgiant or giant stars, with one planet TOI-2337b destined for consumption in less than 1 million years. The study's findings suggest chaotic planet-to-planet interactions and unpredictable heating rates, offering new insights into planetary system evolution.
Researchers used computer simulations to model how dust collides and grows into solid cores for gas giants. This process enables the formation of massive cores necessary for gas accumulation within a few hundred thousand years.
A sub-Neptune exoplanet named TOI-2257 b has been found to have an eccentric orbit around its host star, making it a candidate for further study. The planet's distance from the star allows for liquid water and potentially life-supporting conditions.
A new study by Rice University astrophysicist André Izidoro suggests that the sun had rings before planets formed, explaining many solar system features. The model simulates the solar system's formation hundreds of times and reproduces several features missed by previous models, including pressure bumps and rings.
Researchers have discovered at least 70 new free-floating planets, each roughly the mass of Jupiter, in a nearby region of the Milky Way. The discovery was made using observations and archival data from several observatories, including NSF's NOIRLab facilities.
A team of researchers discovered 170 previously unknown free-floating planets (FFPs) in the Upper Scorpius young stellar association. This is the largest sample of FFPs found in a single association, suggesting that dynamical ejection from planetary systems may be an important mechanism for their formation.
Astronomers used data from ESO's large telescopes and space-based facilities to spot tens of millions of sources in a wide area of the sky, identifying over 70 rogue planets comparable to Jupiter's mass. The discovery could provide clues on how these mysterious objects form, with further advances needed to study them in greater detail.
Researchers found over 70-170 free-floating planets (FFPs) in the Upper Scorpius young stellar association, almost doubling the number of known FFPs. The sheer number suggests that planets formed around stars and then banished to darkness are an important contribution.
A team of researchers found that the building blocks of Earth and Mars originated primarily from the inner Solar System, contradicting a popular theory. The study analyzed the isotopic composition of rocky planets and meteorites, revealing that only about 4% of the material came from beyond Jupiter's orbit.
A supermassive filament eruption has been observed on a Sun-like star, EK Draconis. The filament was large and fast, posing severe impacts on planetary environments. This finding sheds light on the origins of life on Earth and potential life on other planets.
Astronomers have discovered an ultra-short-period planet GJ 367 b, which orbits its star in just eight hours and has a radius of 72% that of Earth. The planet's mass is 55% of the Earth's, indicating it likely has an iron-rich core, similar to Mercury's interior.
A team of scientists measured the masses of two young giant planets in a 20 million-year-old system, finding they reached their final size at an early stage of evolution. This challenges current models, suggesting that giant planets can contract and mature rapidly.
The newly discovered planet is classified as a rocky planet and has similarities to Mercury, with a mass 55% of Earth's. Its high density indicates an iron core, but the surface temperature could reach up to 1500 degrees Celsius due to its proximity to its star.
Researchers used TRAPPIST-1's harmonious orbits to determine the impact history of its seven Earth-sized planets. The study found that these planets could have withstood only limited late bombardment, implying a relatively small amount of water arrived on time for potential life.
The discovery of hundreds of new exoplanets is a significant advance in understanding how planets form and orbits evolve. A notable finding includes a planetary system with two gas giant planets, each roughly the size of Saturn, located unusually close to their host star.
Astronomers have discovered an ultrahot Jupiter, TOI-2109b, with a record-breaking 16-hour orbit. The planet is estimated to be around 5 times the size of Jupiter and has a day side temperature of approximately 3,500 Kelvin.
Simulations show that a migrating planet can produce patterns matching those observed in disks, explaining why planets are rarely found near outer rings. The findings also help to confirm the planet theory for ring formation.
Researchers discovered two new exoplanets using AI-powered image recognition, which can predict the effect of interactions between planets on a star's luminosity. This technique improves detection rates for terrestrial-type planets and provides insights into their mass, density, and composition.
A new technique developed by University of Hawaii astronomer Nader Haghighipour has successfully detected a transiting circumbinary planet in TESS data. The discovery validates the method, which reduces the time to detect such planets from over a year to just five days.
Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have discovered a new type of exoplanet known as 'eggshell planets,' which are likely to have little topography and no plate tectonics. These planets may resemble the lowlands on Venus, with vast expanses of lava but little high-standing terrain.
A new study suggests that most nearby rocky exoplanets are quite unlike anything in our Solar System, with diverse and exotic rock types not found anywhere. The research uses the chemical composition of 'polluted' white dwarfs to estimate the rock types on planets orbiting nearby stars.
Researchers recreated superionic ice using advanced tools and found a new phase of matter. The ice has unique properties that make it less dense but darker, and its behavior affects planetary magnetic fields.
Exoplanets HD3167b and two mini-Neptunes orbit in planes perpendicular to each other, with the innermost planet still in the equatorial plane. The discovery suggests an unknown celestial body responsible for this disorder is likely at play.
A team of scientists led by University of Hawaii at Manoa has discovered a newly-formed planet, 2M0437b, which can be directly observed. The planet is estimated to be several times more massive than Jupiter and formed with its star around the time of main Hawaiian Island emergence.
Researchers used Hubble Space Telescope observations and theoretical models to study a broader population of hot Jupiters. The study provides insight into planet formation and suggests that these planets contain similar sets of molecules, including water and carbon monoxide.
A new analysis suggests that a gap existed within the protoplanetary disk around 4.567 billion years ago, near the asteroid belt, affecting the composition of infant planets. The team found that meteorites from the outer region had stronger magnetic fields than those from the inner region.
Scientists confirm a link between planetary and stellar compositions, with some planets exhibiting higher iron content than their host stars. This study provides insights into planetary formation and evolution, shedding light on potential habitability and constraining possible compositions.
Researchers analyze iron-mass fraction of low-mass rocky exoplanets and find correlation with host star compositions, suggesting role of planet formation processes in shaping final composition. The study reveals distinct populations of super-Earths and super-Mercury class exoplanets with differing compositions.
A team of astrophysicists led by Martin Turbet from UNIGE and NCCR PlanetS found that Venus's climate conditions prevented the formation of oceans. The study suggests that the Earth could have suffered a similar fate if it had been closer to the Sun or had weaker radiation in its youth.
Scientists propose sending a spacecraft to Jupiter to observe centaur objects becoming comets, providing insights into the solar system's dynamics and composition. This unique opportunity could reveal the chemical makeup of comets and shed light on how Earth-like planets form.
Scientists have discovered radio waves coming from 19 distant red dwarf stars, suggesting the presence of hidden planets. The discovery uses the world's most powerful radio telescope, LOFAR, and indicates a scaled-up version of Jupiter-Io interaction with a planet in the star's magnetic field.
Researchers analyzed ALMA data to create the first animation of a young twin star system's orbital motion over three years. The study found that the disks surrounding each star are significantly misaligned with respect to each other, supporting the idea that the system was formed via molecular cloud fragmentation.
Researchers identified a potential circumtriple planet in the star system GW Ori, with implications for our understanding of planet formation. The discovery, made using ALMA telescope observations, suggests that planet formation may be more active than previously thought.
Researchers warn that future exoplanet direct-imaging missions need to make multiple observations to differentiate between planets. In 36% of solar systems, an Earth-like planet can be misidentified with a Mercury-like planet, and in 72% of cases, it could be mistaken for a Venus-like planet.
Scientists study potential for life around M-dwarf planets with new telescope, finding atmospheres may be dried out due to intense radiation. The James Webb Space Telescope can detect gases in heavy carbon dioxide or oxygen-dominated atmospheres.
The study proposes a novel 'hit-and-run-return' scenario, where pre-planetary bodies crash into each other, slow down, and then merge again. This led to the formation of Venus as having had a very different experience in its growth compared to Earth.