Articles tagged with Exoplanets
Astronomers have detected a newborn planet in action, carving out an intricate pattern in the gas and dust surrounding its young host star. The planet candidate is estimated to be twice the size of Jupiter and has been observed shaping its surroundings within the protoplanetary disc as it grows into a fully formed planet.
Researchers identified early moment of planet formation around star beyond Sun, marking window to past of our Solar System. The discovery provides a unique analogue for studying early planet formation processes.
Researchers tracked the ultra-hot Jupiter TOI-2109b's orbital decay to understand how stars dissipate energy. The study found three possible fates for the planet: being torn apart by tidal forces, plunging into its star, or having its gaseous envelope stripped away.
Astronomers detect first-ever evidence of a 'planet with a death wish' as HIP 67522 b orbits extremely close to its host star, triggering flares that erode the planet's atmosphere. The radiation is so intense it causes the planet to shrink and lose mass at an alarming rate.
A recent study led by Heidelberg University astronomers has found that Earth-like planets are more common than previously thought around low-mass stars. The research team identified four new exoplanets, with the largest one having a mass 14 times greater than Earth and orbiting its host star in approximately 3.3 years.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured the direct image of a previously unknown exoplanet, TWA 7 b, located within a disk of rocky debris and dust. The exoplanet is ten times lighter than previously captured ones and more similar to Earth than gas giants.
Scientists have discovered a strong correlation between the Earth's magnetic field and atmospheric oxygen levels over the past 540 million years. The study, published in Science Advances, suggests that fluctuations in the magnetic field may be influencing the planet's habitability.
A new study by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) proposes that compact exoplanetary systems may be surviving remnants of planet accretion during the final stages of stellar formation. This process results in similarly sized planets with characteristic masses determined by infall and disk conditions.
An international team of astronomers has found a giant planet, TOI-6894b, orbiting a tiny star, TOI-6894, which is smaller than expected to host such a massive planet. The discovery challenges the core accretion theory on planet formation.
Researchers detected atmospheric methane and silicon monoxide on WASP-121b, suggesting it accumulated most of its gas in a cold region before becoming an ultra-hot giant planet. The team proposes that strong vertical winds on the nightside replenish methane gas to maintain its high abundance.
Researchers use NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to investigate a protoplanetary disk around a young star in the Lobster Nebula. They found sufficient solid material to potentially form at least 10 rocky planets and detected various molecules that contribute to planetary atmospheres.
Researchers found that super-Earths can exist far from their host star like gas giants do from the sun. The team's results suggest these massive worlds are prevalent across the universe, with at least one super-Earth present for every three stars.
Dr. Joseph Twicken receives the award for his work on data processing pipelines for NASA's Kepler and TESS missions, contributing to the discovery of nearly 3,000 exoplanets. The SETI Institute also honors Sophie Clark with its Research Experience for Undergraduates Award of Excellence.
Researchers develop a new coronagraph that can detect exoplanets obscured by light from their parent stars, providing insights into the possibility of life beyond Earth. The device uses spatial mode sorters to isolate and eliminate starlight, capturing images of exoplanets with unprecedented sensitivity.
A team of researchers has found a planet orbiting at a 90-degree angle around a pair of young brown dwarfs, marking the first time such strong evidence for a 'polar planet' orbit is collected. The discovery was made possible by pioneering data analysis that improved precision by a factor of 30.
Astronomers have found the first strong evidence for a 'polar planet' orbiting a stellar pair, with the unprecedented exoplanet named 2M1510 (AB) b. The planet orbits at an angle of 90 degrees around two young brown dwarfs.
The detection of dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b provides the strongest evidence yet for biological activity outside our solar system. The signals are consistent with predictions for a 'Hycean' planet, but further observations are needed to confirm the findings.
Researchers have modeled the chemistry of TOI-270 d, an exoplanet between Earth and Neptune, finding evidence for a thick, hot atmosphere. The study suggests that the planet is unlikely to be habitable, but offers insights into alternative paths of planetary origins and evolution.
Researchers estimate that detecting no signs of life on 40-80 exoplanets would allow for an upper limit on the prevalence of life in the universe. However, uncertainties and biases in individual observations must be carefully considered to ensure reliable results.
A recent study by ETH Zurich researchers suggests that if scientists examine 40–80 planets and find no signs of life, they can confidently conclude that fewer than 10–20% of similar planets harbor life. This finding would enable scientists to put a meaningful upper limit on the prevalence of life in the universe.
Arizona State University welcomes two new 51 Pegasi b Fellows, Matthew Nixon and Sagnick Mukherjee, to its exoplanet research team. The fellows will pursue independent research focusing on sub-Neptune planets, atmospheres, and theoretical models. ASU's leadership in exoplanet science positions the university as a hub for early-career t...
Researchers used TESS data to identify close-in sub-Neptunes and found that their frequency changes over time, suggesting a combination of processes shaping their formation and evolution. The study provides clues about the properties of these planets and addresses long-standing questions about their origins.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured its first direct images of carbon dioxide in a planet outside the solar system. The observations suggest that four giant planets formed like Jupiter and Saturn by slowly building solid cores, providing strong evidence for core accretion as their formation model.
The discovery of two exoplanets around TOI-1453, a star about 250 light years away, reveals insights into planetary configuration and formation. The super-Earth and sub-Neptune present an interesting contrast in their characteristics, with the sub-Neptune exhibiting unusually low mass and density.
Researchers identify methyl halides as a potential sign of microbial life on Hycean planets with thick hydrogen atmospheres. The gas could accumulate in exoplanet atmospheres and be detectable from light-years away, offering an optimal strategy for the search for extraterrestrial life.
Astronomers have found solid evidence for four tiny planets circling Barnard's Star, with masses only 20-30% that of Earth. The discovery was made using the MAROON-X instrument and confirms previous hints from another study.
A team of astronomers has discovered four mini-Earth exoplanets around Barnard's Star, the nearest single star to Earth. The exoplanets are rocky and orbit their home star in a matter of days, with one being the least massive planet discovered using radial velocity technique.
Using advanced simulations, researchers Sho Shibata and Andre Izidoro suggest that super-Earths and mini-Neptunes form from distinct rings of planetesimals, providing fresh insight into planetary evolution. Their model replicates key features of exoplanetary systems, including the radius valley and 'peas-in-a-pod' pattern.
New research reveals that exoplanets with masses similar to Jupiter formed much sooner than previously thought, suggesting the accretion process takes place early. This finding could lead scientists to re-evaluate and revamp their theories of planet formation for the solar system and elsewhere.
The Magellan Adaptive Optics Xtreme (MagAO-X) instrument observed two young planets orbiting PDS 70, revealing compact rings of dust and startling changes in brightness. The team believes these features are telltale signs of the planet's turbulent youth.
Researchers from UNSW Sydney have discovered a potential new exoplanet using the transit timing variation method. The new planet is estimated to be 10-16 times the size of Earth and orbits its star in under 16 days.
A new collaboration between ASU, MSU, and LLNL aims to answer the question of how planets form by analyzing the atmospheres of seven young exoplanets. The team will use the James Webb Space Telescope and powerful computers to create atmospheric models that can reveal insights into planetary formation and evolution.
Astronomers are using the James Webb Space Telescope and high-performance computers to study the atmospheres of seven planets beyond our solar system, gaining insights into planetary formation and evolution. The KRONOS program aims to understand how planets form, evolve, and potentially harbor life.
Researchers discovered reflective clouds on the western hemisphere of LTT 9779 b, a rare 'ultra-hot Neptune,' creating a striking contrast to its hotter eastern side. The team's findings reveal a delicate balance between intense heat from the star and the planet's ability to redistribute energy.
A team of researchers used JWST to study the exotic atmosphere of LTT 9779 b, revealing reflective clouds on its cooler western hemisphere. The planet's asymmetrical dayside reflectivity is driven by powerful winds that transport heat and cloud formation.
Astronomers have mapped the 3D structure of an exoplanet's atmosphere for the first time, revealing a unique climate with powerful winds carrying chemical elements like iron and titanium. The discovery opens the door for detailed studies of alien worlds' weather patterns.
The University of Michigan Department of Astronomy will launch its first space mission in 2029 with a $10 million NASA grant. The STARI mission aims to demonstrate a new technique for studying exoplanets, which could help search for life beyond our solar system.
Scientists have discovered a scrawny star and its fast-moving super-Neptune world, which sets a new record for the fastest exoplanet system. The planetary system is thought to move at least 1.2 million miles per hour.
A new study found that hotter and colder regions on a star's surface can distort our interpretations of planets, particularly when looking at dips in starlight. This distortion can lead to misinterpretation of features such as planet size, temperature, and atmospheric composition.
The team used observations from NEID and two other spectrographs to confirm one system hosting a giant planet and another with a brown dwarf. Gaia-4b has an orbital period of 570 days, mass of 12 Jupiter masses, and orbits a star 64% the mass of the Sun.
Two new celestial objects have been confirmed using Gaia data, including a Super-Jupiter exoplanet and a brown dwarf. The discovery challenges current theories of planet formation and provides valuable data for understanding these intriguing objects. Gaia's ongoing mission will uncover hundreds of planets and brown dwarfs around nearby...
Astronomers detect a super-Earth in an eccentric orbit, oscillating between habitable and non-habitable zones. The discovery provides a laboratory for testing new hypotheses on the search for life beyond Earth.
Astronomers have detected powerful jetstream winds on the equator of WASP-127b, a giant gas planet located 500 light-years from Earth. The winds reach nearly six times the speed at which the planet rotates, making them the fastest wind ever measured in a jetstream.
The completion of NASA's Pandora spacecraft bus brings the exoplanet mission one step closer to launch, set to study at least 20 planets' atmospheres for hazes, clouds, and water. The mission will utilize a novel telescope design to capture stellar surfaces and cleanly separate star and planetary signals.
A new type of exoplanet, similar to 'Super-Venus', has been detected by the James Webb Space Telescope. The planet's atmosphere is characterized by high concentrations of carbon dioxide, unlike typical Earth-like rocky planets or Neptune-like icy worlds.
Researchers have discovered a mismatched composition of gases in the planet's atmosphere compared to gases within the disk. The study found that the ratio of carbon and oxygen gases in the planet is much lower than expected, suggesting that current models of planet formation may be too simplified.
A new study using the James Webb Space Telescope has reevaluated the atmospheric composition of Trappist-1 b, finding conditions that could support a thick CO2-rich atmosphere. Researchers propose that haze from hydrocarbon compounds in the upper atmosphere may explain this scenario.
A new detection method has been used to identify over 100 small asteroids in the main asteroid belt, ranging from bus-sized to stadium-wide. This breakthrough could aid in tracking potential asteroid impactors and provide insights into meteorite origins.
Researchers used rare data from a 2012 Venus solar transit to validate techniques for studying small exoplanets' atmospheres, similar to that of Venus. The study reveals signs of carbon dioxide in the Venusian atmosphere, which can be used to differentiate it from Earth's atmosphere.
Astronomers have discovered a fourth planet in the unusual Kepler-51 system, which consists of three ultra-low density 'super-puff' planets. The new planet, Kepler-51e, has a mass similar to the other three and follows a circular orbit of approximately 264 days.
A team of astronomers from the University of Cambridge found that Venus' interior is too dry for liquid water to have existed on its surface. This conclusion challenges long-held theories and has implications for understanding Earth's uniqueness and searching for life elsewhere in the Solar System.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a library of basalt-based spectral signatures to help identify the presence of water on exoplanets. By analyzing small spectral differences between basalt samples, scientists can determine if an exoplanet once had running surface water or water in its interior.
The discovery of K2-360 b, an ultra-short period planet with a density similar to lead, reveals clues about its formation. An outer companion, K2-360 c, may have played a crucial role in the system's development through high-eccentricity migration.
A University of Washington-led study suggests that rocky planets orbiting M-dwarf stars can maintain stable atmospheres over time, enhancing the chances of supporting life. The James Webb Space Telescope has observed hotter planets without significant atmospheres, but temperate planets in the 'Goldilocks zone' may have stable atmospheres.
Astronomers at Caltech have discovered that the well-studied brown dwarf Gliese 229B is actually a pair of tightly orbiting brown dwarfs weighing about 38 and 34 times the mass of Jupiter. This resolves the long-standing mystery about its dimness.
Astronomers used the combined perspective of Hubble and New Horizons to study the atmosphere of Uranus, a proxy for similar planets beyond our solar system. The results suggest that exoplanets may be dimmer than predicted at partial phases, offering new clues to their potential habitability.
A team of astronomers discovered new insights into the forces that shape protoplanetary disks using the James Webb Space Telescope. They traced disk winds in unprecedented detail, revealing an intricate structure and a pronounced central hole inside each cone-shaped envelope of winds.
Researchers from University of Texas at Arlington have identified 206 systems of interest for potential habitability, including one system where the planet is always situated in the HZ. The team analyzed data from NASA Exoplanet Archive and found F-type stars to be a promising case for life beyond Earth.
Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet orbiting Barnard's star, located six light-years away, which has at least half the mass of Venus and orbits its star in just over three Earth days. The discovery was made using ESO's VLT and confirms the existence of a new exoplanet candidate, while also hinting at the presence of three more.
A team of astronomers discovered a planetary system that resembles the sun-Earth system, with an Earth-size companion in an orbit twice as large as Earth's today. The discovery provides insight into the evolution of main sequence stars and their impact on planets.