Articles tagged with Dwarf Planets
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Research led by UT Austin found that Ceres' crust keeps cryomagma liquid for up to 10 million years after impact, contradicting earlier estimates. The discovery helps scientists understand primary forces driving volcanic activity and could shed light on Europa's potential for life.
A team led by SwRI has concluded that Ceres' surface is rich in organic matter, containing several times more carbon than primitive meteorites found on Earth. The surface's unique mineralogy and rock-water interactions suggest a cold environment formation process.
Research finds that gravity and unique shapes of small objects in our solar system create and maintain their own rings. Astronomers discovered that rings around Chariklo and Haumea are confined by the object's irregularities, contradicting previous assumptions about moon-dominated ring systems.
The SwRI team developed a fuel-saving orbital tour for a future Pluto orbiter, allowing it to explore the Kuiper Belt after surveying Pluto. The study also demonstrates an electric propulsion system can power the orbiter to fly to other Kuiper Belt objects.
The study confirms the evolution of transits produced by a planetesimal orbiting the white dwarf WD 1145+017. The system shows periodic transits blocking light from the star, with continuous interaction and fragmentation resulting in changes in transit depth and shape.
A new study on Ceres reveals that the dwarf planet's ice volcanoes generate an average of more than 13,000 cubic yards of cryovolcanic material each year. This amount is equivalent to filling a movie theater or four Olympic-sized swimming pools.
A new study published in Icarus challenges the International Astronomical Union's 2006 definition of a planet, which requires a celestial body to clear its orbit. Researchers argue that this standard is not supported by scientific literature and propose a new classification method based on size and gravitational dominance.
Researchers have developed a reference catalog of light spectra and albedos for 19 solar system bodies. By comparing this catalog to exoplanet observations, scientists can characterize new worlds in reference to our own diverse planetary system. The catalog offers insights into the challenges of categorizing rocky and icy exoplanets.
Researchers found that up to 40-50% of the spectral signal on Ceres could be explained by organics, a much higher concentration than previously reported. The findings raise questions about the source of the material, with two competing possibilities: internal production or delivery by an impact from an organic-rich comet or asteroid.
Two new planetary systems have been discovered, one featuring three Earth-sized planets orbiting a red dwarf star. These planets are thought to be rocky worlds with temperatures tens of degrees higher than Earth due to their close proximity to the star.
Scientists have discovered dunes made of solid methane on Pluto, defying expectations due to the dwarf planet's thin atmosphere. The findings were made possible by New Horizons' detailed images and modeling, which suggest that wind can create these unique landforms through a process involving sublimation.
A new analysis of Pluto's hydrocarbon haze reveals a novel cooling mechanism controlling the dwarf planet's frigid atmosphere. The study proposes that haze particles absorb heat and emit infrared radiation, resulting in an atmospheric temperature of about 70 Kelvin.
Researchers found organics on Ceres are likely native, contradicting earlier theories of delivery via comets or asteroids. The discovery suggests a complex chemical evolution and important astrobiological implications for the solar system.
The Global Aerospace Corporation has developed a Pluto lander concept that uses drag from the ultra-thin atmosphere to decelerate and gently land on the surface of Pluto. The lander-hopper can then hop around the surface, investigating surface features and performing science measurements.
A NASA-funded citizen science project has discovered a new brown dwarf, a major milestone in the search for a distant planet. The object, WISEA J110125.95+540052.8, was identified by amateur astronomer Rosa Castro and her fellow volunteers through the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project.
Researchers have found that radioactive decay in rocky cores of icy bodies can produce molecular hydrogen, a key ingredient for life. This process, known as radiolysis, has the potential to support microbial communities on planets like Enceladus and Europa.
Astronomers have discovered a moon orbiting the third largest dwarf planet in our solar system using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The discovery provides key insights into how moons formed in the young solar system.
Astronomers have revealed extraordinary details about 2014 UZ224, also known as DeeDee, using ALMA. The icy body is roughly 635 kilometers across and has enough mass to be spherical, but lacks official dwarf planet status.
A group of scientists led by Kirby Runyon argue for a definition of 'planet' that focuses on the body's intrinsic qualities, such as mass and gravitational shape. This new definition would expand the number of planets in our solar system to approximately 110, including Pluto.
Scientists have detected aliphatic organic compounds on Ceres, suggesting that they formed on the asteroid itself. The findings indicate that the extreme heat from an impact would have destroyed these types of compounds, ruling out external delivery.
Scientists conclude that the organics are most likely native to Ceres, originating from its interior. The discovery has broad implications for astrobiology and suggests that Ceres contains key ingredients for life.
Scientists propose that viscous relaxation on Ceres caused older cryovolcanoes to flatten over millions of years, making them indistinguishable from the planet's surface. This process may explain why Ahuna Mons stands alone as the only prominent ice volcano on the dwarf planet.
A new UMD-led study proposes that Pluto's 'icy heart', Sputnik Planitia, formed early in the dwarf planet's history due to its unique climate and spin axis. The model suggests that the ice cap's location is inevitable consequence of evolutionary processes.
A subsurface ocean of water ice may lie beneath Pluto's heart-shaped region, aligning almost exactly opposite its moon Charon. The existence of this ocean solves a longstanding puzzle and provides an explanation for the planet's gravitational tug-of-war with its moon.
Research suggests Pluto's subsurface ocean could be responsible for its current location. The 'heart' region, Sputnik Planitia, may have accumulated ice that made the planet roll over, creating cracks and tensions in the crust. This process, called true polar wander, allows planets to reorient without changing their spin axis.
Studies reveal new insights into Ceres' surface features, including craters, cryovolcanos, and water ice exposure. The findings suggest recent geological activity and propose possible explanations for the formation of Ahuna Mons and water ice on the dwarf planet's surface.
Researchers find that Ahuna Mons, a volcano on Ceres, is built from ice and was formed through cryovolcanism. The discovery confirms that Ceres' interior has kept warm enough for liquid water or brines to exist in recent geological time.
A SwRI-led study found that Ceres' surface lacks large impact craters, contrary to predictions. The team suggests a deep subsurface ice-rich layer or cryolava may have erased the craters over time.
The Dawn spacecraft's findings suggest that Ceres' large impact basins were erased due to its peculiar composition and internal evolution. The team proposes that a significant population of large craters was obliterated beyond recognition, likely resulting from the planet's icy crust and geological activity.
Scientists with NASA's Dawn mission have identified permanently shadowed regions on the dwarf planet Ceres, which are likely cold enough to trap water ice for a billion years. The regions, occupying about 695 square miles of the northern hemisphere, may be colder than those on Mercury or the moon.
Scientists have discovered a dark moon orbiting Makemake, one of the largest and brightest known Kuiper Belt Objects. The discovery provides insights into the origin and evolution of our solar system, suggesting that giant collisions are a near-universal fixture in the histories of these distant worlds.
A new study led by Brown University Ph.D. student Noah Hammond suggests that Pluto likely has a subsurface ocean today, contrary to previous theories. The research uses thermal evolution models updated with data from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which revealed signs of tectonic features and expansion on Pluto's surface.
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.
Scientists at SwRI discovered two geologically young craters, one 16 million and the other between 75-420 million years old, in the Moon's darkest regions. The discovery was made possible by a new technique using the Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project instrument aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Dennis Reuter and his team are selected as finalists for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal for their contributions to the New Horizons mission to Pluto. The LEISA instrument provided groundbreaking data on Pluto's surface composition, expanding scientists' understanding of the outer solar system.
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.
Astronomers discover a small, dark moon orbiting Makemake, the second brightest icy dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt. The moon's diameter is estimated to be 100 miles across and its orbit completes around Makemake in 12 days or longer.
A CU-Boulder student-built instrument found only six dust particles per cubic mile near Pluto, revealing the vast emptiness of space. The discovery provides insights into the solar system's formation and evolution.
Five studies on New Horizons' flyby of Pluto uncover a wide variety of geological features, including tectonics, glacial flow, and cryovolcanoes. The dwarf planet's interaction with the solar wind and icy surfaces also provides insights into its space environment.
A team of astronomers using HARPS spectrograph detected the motion of bright spots on Ceres, suggesting they are composed of volatile materials that evaporate in sunlight. The study revealed unexpected variations in the spots' brightness due to the action of solar radiation.
Astronomers have discovered a planetary system with an enormous planet sandwiched between a Sun-like star and a dwarf star. The planet's massive eccentric orbit indicates gravitational influence from the dwarf star, leading to Kozai oscillations that cause it to 'dance' between the two stars.
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 have spotted a large, rocky object disintegrating in its death spiral around a distant white dwarf star, confirming a long-standing theory behind the source of white dwarf 'pollution' by metals. The system shows signs of surrounding debris disk and at least one compact, rocky object.
Data from New Horizons' flyby of Pluto suggest the dwarf planet has been frequently resurfaced by erosion or crustal recycling. The study also reveals large regions of differing brightness on Pluto's surface, carved out by structures similar to terrestrial glaciers.
Researchers found that impacts on Ceres tend to retain large proportions of material, suggesting a homogeneous surface composed of meteoritic material collected over billions of years. This could have implications for asteroid sample return missions and require careful landing site selection.
Two of Pluto's moons, Nix and Hydra, wobble unpredictably due to a constantly shifting gravitational field created by the double planet system of Pluto and Charon. This effect is strengthened by the non-spherical shape of the moons, which may be similar for the other two moons, Kerberos and Styx.
A new study published in Nature provides the first detailed look at Pluto's five known moons, revealing fascinating details about their orbits and rotational patterns. The research found that three of the smaller moons, Nix, Styx, and Hydra, are locked together in resonance, making their orbits more regular and predictable.
An international team of astronomers has identified a young planetary system, located 360 light years away, with a disc-shaped bright ring of dust around a star similar to the sun. The disc's brightness and composition are consistent with the Kuiper Belt in our solar system.
Researchers propose that gravitational forces alter ETNO orbits, indicating the presence of unseen planets. Calculations reveal a possible second planet with characteristics diverging from current theories on solar system formation.
Scientists created a global geologic and tectonic map of asteroid Vesta, revealing a history of large impacts from massive meteorites. The oldest surviving crust predates the largest impact event, the Veneneia impact, which occurred around 2.1 billion years ago.
Researchers used super high-speed cannon to simulate collisions on celestial bodies. They found that damage from the impact starts where one would expect, but fails in opposite direction and propagates outward like a blooming flower. The study suggests Vesta's 'belt' formed by an oblique impact.
Researchers have redefined the asteroid Vesta's internal structure based on Dawn data and simulations, questioning previous models of rocky planet formation. The study found that Vesta's crust is 3 times thicker than expected and lacks olivine, a mineral common in planetary mantles.
Researchers have found evidence of a water-rich rocky planetary body in the shattered remains of a planet that once orbited a white dwarf star. The discovery marks the first time water has been pinpointed in a rocky body outside our solar system, providing insights into the formation and evolution of habitable planets.
Astronomers have two opportunities to detect planets around Proxima Centauri using a rare stellar alignment. The closest encounters in October 2014 and February 2016 will allow scientists to measure the mass of the red dwarf, which could indicate the presence of smaller terrestrial planets.
Researchers propose that white dwarf stars can support habitable planets, allowing for detection of biomarkers like oxygen and methane. The James Webb Space Telescope will be capable of detecting these signs after only a few hours of observation time.
A new study suggests that future evidence for extraterrestrial life might come from dying stars, specifically from planets orbiting white dwarfs. Detectable oxygen in the atmosphere of these planets could indicate the presence of life, and a recent simulation indicates JWST can detect this with only a few hours of observation time.
Scientists find that impacting small asteroids delivered dark, carbonaceous material to the protoplanet Vesta. The material, found in craters and meteorites, suggests a link between giant impact basins and the delivery of essential building blocks for organic molecules.
Astronomers have discovered that dwarf planet Makemake lacks a significant atmosphere, revealing new insights into its composition. The study used observations of Makemake passing in front of a star to determine its size, density, and albedo, with findings comparable to dirty snow.
Scientists discover unique space weathering process on asteroid Vesta, distinct from other asteroids like the Moon, where meteorite impacts mix soils mechanically rather than forming nanoparticles.
Scientists found that carbon-rich asteroids have been splattering dark material on Vesta's surface over billions of years, creating a youthful appearance. The protoplanet's bright outer layer remains pristine, with tiny metallic particles absent, indicating minimal weathering.