Articles tagged with Exoplanets
A Northwestern University study discovered that stellar flares could play an important role in a planet's atmospheric evolution and habitability. Flares may drive a new chemical equilibrium in a planet's atmosphere, potentially making it easier to detect signs of life.
Researchers have discovered a binary system of brown dwarfs, orbiting each other at an unprecedented distance, with one object being similar in mass to Jupiter and the other about 8 times less massive. This rare find suggests that star formation processes can create binary systems like those found in our solar system on smaller scales.
Researchers have detected a possible radio signal from the exoplanet in the Tau Boötes system using the Low Frequency Array. The signal suggests that the planet's magnetic field may be contributing to its habitability by shielding its atmosphere from solar wind and cosmic rays.
Astronomers have measured the motion of a massive Jupiter-like planet in an unlikely orbit around a double star, sparking questions about its formation and evolution. The discovery offers evidence that such oddball orbits are possible and may hold clues to the mysterious Planet Nine in our solar system.
Astronomers have confirmed an exoplanet, HD 106906 b, with a highly eccentric orbit around its binary star, similar to the hypothetical Planet Nine. The planet's orbit is likely bound, and its presence suggests that distant planets can form within the first tens of millions of years of a star's life.
A team of astronomers has discovered the first cold brown dwarf using radio observations from the LOFAR telescope and Gemini North. The object, BDR J1750+3809, is a close cousin of Solar System planets like Jupiter and can be used to test theories predicting exoplanet magnetic fields.
The study predicts extreme weather conditions on K2-141b, including supersonic winds and rocky rains, which can be detected from hundreds of light years away with next-generation telescopes. The team also found that two-thirds of the exoplanet faces perpetual daylight, leading to frigid temperatures on the night side.
Researchers measured the spectrum of a rare hot Neptune exoplanet, revealing evidence of molecular absorption in its atmosphere. This detection provides clues on the origin of the planet and how it managed to hold onto its atmosphere.
Researchers from the University of Kansas have characterized the atmospheric makeup of LTT 9779b, a highly unusual hot Neptune discovered by NASA's TESS mission. The study reveals the planet's temperature and composition, shedding light on the formation of exoplanet atmospheres.
Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed a new 'photonic wavefront sensor' using AI and machine learning to correct atmospheric distortion, allowing for direct imaging of exoplanets from Earth. This innovation could revolutionize the study of exoplanets and their potential for life.
Astronomers have identified 1,004 main-sequence stars that might contain Earth-like planets in their habitable zones, all within 300 light-years of Earth. These exoplanets could detect signs of a biosphere in Earth's atmosphere.
A team of astronomers studied sunspots to characterize star conditions, which is crucial for finding exoplanets. The research aimed to create a single emission profile similar to other stars, allowing astronomers to identify dimming caused by exoplanet shadows.
Researchers demonstrate that high-resolution spectroscopy can detect water vapour and other chemicals in the atmospheres of exoplanets behind dense clouds. Models based on known exoplanets with clouds show promise for detecting trace species with just a few nights of observations.
A team of researchers from Arizona State University and the University of Chicago found that carbon-rich exoplanets could convert to diamond and silicate under high heat and pressure. However, these planets are unlikely to be habitable due to their geological inactivity.
A Bayesian statistical framework analysis suggests that a positive result in the search for extrasolar biosignatures would greatly enhance our understanding of extraterrestrial life, potentially exceeding 105 inhabited planets. Conversely, a negative outcome would leave existing knowledge largely unchanged.
Astronomers used Hubble Space Telescope to detect ozone in Earth's atmosphere, simulating conditions for future exoplanet observations. The study aims to develop models of Earth's spectrum as a template for categorizing atmospheres on extrasolar planets.
Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet, K2-25b, that is surprisingly dense for its size and age, defying current planet formation theories. The exoplanet, orbiting a young star in the Hyades cluster, has a mass of 25 Earth-masses and a size slightly smaller than Neptune.
Astronomers have discovered a Saturn-sized planet orbiting a small, cool star 35 light-years from Earth using the astrometric technique. The planet has a mass comparable to Saturn and orbits its star every 221 days. This discovery is significant as it reveals that smaller planets can exist around cooler stars.
New findings suggest mini-Neptunes may form as super-Earths with a rocky core surrounded by water in a supercritical state, challenging their previous classification as gas planets. Scientists propose that intense stellar irradiation causes a greenhouse effect, increasing the size of atmospheres and forming such planetary configurations.
Scientists have discovered an exoplanet with an exposed core, similar in size to Neptune, orbiting a star about 730 light years away. The researchers believe the planet may be a gas giant that lost its atmosphere or failed to form one due to special circumstances.
The newly discovered GJ 887 system hosts multiple super-Earth sized planets, making it an ideal target for the James Webb Space Telescope. The system's proximity and relatively quiet red dwarf star reduce the risk of harmful solar flares, providing a promising opportunity to study exoplanet atmospheres.
Researchers simulate exoplanet conditions to study the boundary between water and rock, finding a new transitional phase that challenges current models of distant worlds. This discovery could inform our understanding of life evolving on these planets.
Astronomers detect exoplanet AU Mic b, about the size of Neptune, using NASA's TESS and Spitzer space telescopes. The discovery provides a unique laboratory to study planetary formation and atmospheric interactions with a young star.
Researchers found that early-formed rocky exoplanets are more likely to develop plate tectonics, a condition favorable to life emergence. This implies that life in the galaxy might have started earlier than previously thought, with planets formed later facing less chance of supporting life.
More than a quarter of exoplanets could be ocean worlds, harboring subsurface oceans and releasing energy similar to Europa and Enceladus. Scientists predict that these planets may be geologically active enough to support life, with some releasing more heat than others.
Researchers estimate that there may be as many as one Earth-like planet for every five Sun-like stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. This number could lead to new insights into planet formation and evolution theories, optimizing future exoplanet missions.
The study found that airborne dust can cool down the hotter dayside but also warm the night side, effectively widening the planet's habitable zone. This process is a negative climate feedback, postponing the loss of water and making the planet more habitable.
The ESPRESSO spectrograph has confirmed the existence of Proxima b, a planet the size of Earth orbiting Proxima Centauri in just 11.2 days. The discovery reveals that Proxima b is located in its star's habitable zone and could potentially harbor life.
A new model predicts the most common type of cloud on hot Jupiters, which should consist of liquid or solid silicate droplets. The study also finds that clouds can block observations of gases beneath them, hindering research on exoplanet formation and life.
Cornell University astronomers have developed a practical model to tease out climate clues for potentially habitable exoplanets. By analyzing the effects of planetary surface color and light from its host star, they can calculate a climate, providing valuable insights into the detectable spectra of Earth-like planets.
A new framework, called a 'detectability index,' has been developed to help scientists narrow down the field of exoplanets that require additional study. The index takes into account factors such as oxygen levels and water content on planets, providing a tool for prioritizing targets for observation.
Cornell University astronomers have created a spectral field guide to help future scientists identify biosignatures in the atmospheres of Earth-like exoplanets orbiting white dwarfs. The guide provides template for possible biosignatures, including methane and ozone, which could indicate life on these distant worlds.
Astronomers have improved a mathematical model to accurately gauge the temperatures of planets from solar systems hundreds of light-years away. This new model allows scientists to gather data on an exoplanet's molecular chemistry, gaining insight into the cosmos' planetary beginnings.
A team of international researchers has provided a mineralogy lab study for water-rich exoplanets, revealing an unexpected new solid phase with silicon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The findings suggest that the distinction between water and rock layers in these planets may be 'fuzzy' at high pressure and temperature.
Astronomers analyze archival Hubble data to reveal possible explanation for Fomalhaut b's disappearance: a massive dust cloud produced in a collision between two large bodies orbiting the nearby star Fomalhaut. The team suggests this event may have occurred only every 200,000 years.
Researchers at the University of Arizona conclude that Fomalhaut b, a suspected exoplanet, was likely an expanding cloud of dust from a cosmic collision. The team's analysis of Hubble data reveals characteristics that suggest the planet may never have existed.
Experiments simulate conditions of Neptune-like exoplanets, suggesting mutual solubility between silica and water. This finding challenges traditional views on the distinction between rock and ice, with potential impact on the study of water-rich planets.
Researchers found that a small presence of sulfur in the atmosphere can lead to three times more haze particles, primarily organic sulfur products. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about sulfur's role in exoplanet atmospheres and highlights the importance of caution when interpreting spectroscopic data.
The ESO's Very Large Telescope has observed an ultra-hot giant exoplanet where it rains iron on its night side. Strong winds carry iron vapour from the day side to the cooler night side, where temperatures decrease, resulting in a unique and extreme phenomenon.
Researchers detected chemical variations between day and night on the planet, revealing the presence of iron vapour condensing into drops on the dark side. This discovery provides insights into the extreme climate conditions on ultra-hot giant exoplanets.
New research suggests that some 'cotton candy' exoplanets could have rings, challenging current ideas about their low densities. The discovery proposal, led by Anthony Piro and Shreyas Vissapragada, simulates how ringed exoplanets would appear to astronomers using high-precision instruments.
Astronomers at the University of Cambridge discovered a potentially habitable exoplanet, K2-18b, which is 2.6 times the radius and 8.6 times the mass of Earth. The planet's hydrogen-rich atmosphere may allow for liquid water to exist beneath its surface.
A team of scientists using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio telescope has detected radio waves from exoplanets interacting with their star's magnetic field, which can heat and erode a planet's atmosphere. The discovery paves the way for novel ways to probe exoplanet environments and determine habitability.
The James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories will study the atmospheres of nearby, Earth-like exoplanets for signs of life. These exoplanets are thought to have reservoirs of compounds that could replenish their atmospheres.
A 'cold Neptune' and two temperate super-Earths, GJ180d and GJ229Ac, have been discovered orbiting nearby red dwarf stars, offering a chance to study potentially habitable worlds. The planets were found using the radial velocity method and offer insights into exoplanet formation and evolution.
Researchers are using NASA's iSHELL spectrometer to measure masses of planets in the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovery list, including super-Earths with Earth-like properties. The study aims to confirm and refine mass estimates for these exoplanets, advancing our understanding of their potential habitability.
The NEID instrument has made its first observations, detecting the subtle effect of exoplanets on their parent stars. With a precision three times better than previous instruments, NEID aims to determine the masses of exoplanets as small as Earth and characterize their atmospheres.
Researchers at UC Riverside have developed a technique to detect oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres, which may indicate the presence of life. The method uses NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to identify a strong signal produced by oxygen molecules when they collide.
The study found that while water vapour is common in exoplanet atmospheres, its amounts are surprisingly lower than expected. The results also suggest a depletion of oxygen relative to other elements and provide clues into how these exoplanets may have formed without substantial accretion of ice.
Astronomers can now use a high-resolution spectral field guide to detect signs of life on Proxima b and Trappist-1e, two potential habitable exoplanets. The guide, developed by Cornell University student Zifan Lin, will aid in the exploration of these worlds' atmospheres using next-generation telescopes like the Extremely Large Telescope.
Astronomers captured a clear start-to-finish image sequence of an explosive emission during the close approach of comet 46P/Wirtanen in late 2018. The team observed the initial brightening in two distinct phases, with a gradual second stage that continued to grow brighter over 8 hours.
Researchers find no correlation between a gas giant planet's composition and its host star's heavy element content, contradicting previous theories on planetary formation. The authors suggest other factors, such as location in the disk or distance from neighbors, may be contributing to this discrepancy.
Dr Markus Mugrauer's study confirms the influence of multiple stars on planet formation and development. He found 200 companion stars to planetary host stars up to 1,600 light years away, including red and white dwarf stars.
The satellite discovered 29 exoplanets and over 1,000 candidate planets in the southern sky. The mosaic also reveals celestial events such as comets, supernovae, and a black hole flare.
Researchers confirmed an exoplanet with a mass like Neptune, orbiting a cooler star at a similar radius to Earth's orbit. The discovery suggests Neptune-sized planets could be common in this region.
Astronomers refine search for potentially habitable planets by modeling stellar activity and its effect on planetary magnetic fields. Researchers estimate that some exoplanets could lose their atmospheres in as little as 100 million years due to intense radiation from their stars.
Astronomers used computer simulations to explore the evolution of high-mass planetary systems, finding that collisional growth and gravitational interactions lead to eccentric orbits. The models suggest a crucial role for giant impacts in producing close-in giant planets with high masses.
A new study reveals that some exoplanets have Earth-like geochemistry, with high oxidation levels similar to those in the Solar System. This finding suggests that rocky exoplanets may have similar internal properties to Earth and Mars.
Researchers suggest an unseen population of gas giants orbiting nearby Sun-like stars, awaiting detection. New models support the disk instability mechanism, challenging the core accretion method.
Astronomers discovered a giant Jupiter-like exoplanet orbiting a small red dwarf star, defying standard planet formation theories. The exoplanet, GJ 5312b, is nearly half as massive as Jupiter and orbits the tiny star with an eccentric 204-day orbit.