Articles tagged with Exoplanetary Science
Researchers pinpoint 45 rocky worlds with potential to support life, including TRAPPIST-1 d and e, Proxima Centauri b, and Kepler 186f. The study also explores the boundaries of habitability using exoplanets with unusual orbits.
A team of astronomers has detected rare evidence of two planets colliding, which could provide valuable insights into the formation of our solar system. The unlikely event was observed in a distant star, Gaia20ehk, which was found to have massive amounts of rocks and dust passing in front of it, blocking its light.
Researchers using ESA's Cheops satellite find a small rocky planet in LHS 1903 system, which defies conventional understanding of planetary order and formation. The discovery sparks renewed interest in exploring alternative explanations for this unusual system.
Researchers believe a gigantic ring system surrounding a brown dwarf or super-Jupiter could have blocked the star's light, causing an extremely rare fading star phenomenon. The dimming lasted nearly 200 days, making it one of the longest ever observed.
The absence of exoplanets orbiting tight binary stars is attributed to the effects of general relativity, which causes gravitational tugs from the stars to make a planet's orbit precess. This process makes it difficult for close-in planets to survive, with 75% being destroyed due to tidal disruptions or ejection from the system.
West Virginia University scientists create digital twin models using AI technology to monitor astronaut movements and muscle activity, predicting potential health risks. The system can detect subtle early signs of trouble, providing personalized exercise routines and helping astronauts cope with balance issues upon return to Earth.
Astronomers may need to look beyond the traditional habitable zone for liquid water and potentially life-friendly conditions. A new study suggests that tidally locked worlds, even those orbiting closer to cool M- and K-dwarf stars than previously thought, could sustain liquid water on their night side.
Deep magma oceans beneath rocky exoplanets called super-earths could generate powerful magnetic fields to protect against harmful radiation. This suggests that these planets might be more hospitable for life beyond our solar system.
Scientists found that a planet's interior composition, specifically the 'softness' of its vortex base, determines the formation of polar vortices. The study suggests that Saturn may have a harder interior than Jupiter, leading to a single massive polar vortex, while Jupiter's softer interior gives rise to multiple smaller vortices.
Researchers have found a rare snapshot of worlds in the process of transforming into super-Earths and sub-Neptunes, the galaxy's most common planetary types. The discovery provides an unprecedented glimpse into the turbulent lives of young worlds, shedding light on their formation.
A team of researchers has discovered a distinct group of hot Jupiters whose circular orbits contradict the expected timescale for tidal migration. These planets exhibit characteristics consistent with disk migration, such as primordial alignment and planet multiplicity, suggesting they formed smoothly within the protoplanetary disk.
A team of astronomers used NASA's JWST to reveal an alien atmosphere in the ancient, ultra-hot super-Earth TOI-561 b. The planet's thick atmosphere is upending conventional wisdom about ultra-short-period planets, and its composition could be representative of planets that formed when the universe was relatively young.
Astronomers at Northwestern University have directly imaged a Tatooine-like exoplanet orbiting two suns, revealing unique insights into how planets form around multiple stars. The discovery provides an unprecedented look at the complex dynamics of binary systems and offers new opportunities to test theories of planet formation.
Researchers detect strong evidence for an atmosphere on ultra-hot super-Earth TOI-561 b, challenging the idea that small planets can't sustain atmospheres. The planet's unusually low density is explained by a thick volatile-rich atmosphere that circulates heat and cools the nightside.
Scientists at UNIGE have developed a high-precision spectrograph called RISTRETTO to analyze light from the exoplanet Proxima b. The instrument can detect signs of oxygen or water in its atmosphere, similar to Earth.
A collaboration of bacteria, including Sporosarcina pasteurii and Chroococcidiopsis, produces natural cement-like materials that can turn Martian regolith into solid concrete. This discovery has the potential to revolutionize construction on Mars and provide benefits for habitat integrity and life-support systems.
Astronomers from UNIGE and others observe large streams of helium gas escaping from WASP-107b, a super-puff exoplanet with extremely low density. This is the first time helium has been detected on an exoplanet using JWST, revealing valuable clues for understanding atmospheric escape.
Astronomers have discovered a stellar companion near a star with hot dust, offering a complex laboratory to understand the origin and composition of this phenomenon. This breakthrough builds on decades of technological leadership in interferometry, enabling scientists to study the interaction between the companion and the dust.
Cornell University researchers have created a color-coded key of diverse microorganisms that live in Earth's clouds. This new signature allows astronomers to look for signs of life on planets with dense or cloudy atmospheres, including exoplanets with 100% cloud cover.
Experimental tests demonstrate that interactions between magma oceans and primitive atmospheres during early years can produce significant amounts of water. This process has major implications for the physical and chemical properties of planets' interiors, with potential effects on core development and atmospheric composition.
A team led by UMD astronomers has created the first three-dimensional temperature map of a planet orbiting another star, revealing distinct temperature zones and water vapor breakdown. The new technique lays the groundwork for future explorations of faraway planets.
Researchers have created the first 3D map of a planet orbiting another star, highlighting distinct temperature zones on WASP-18b. The technique allows for atmospheric variations to be mapped, providing insights into exoplanet temperatures and composition.
The Programmable Liquid-crystal Active Coronagraphic Imager for the DAG telescope (PLACID) will improve detection and direct imaging of exoplanets using liquid crystals. It can adapt to complex mask configurations, enabling direct imaging of circumbinary planets and proto-planetary discs.
Astronomers from Trinity College Dublin used the James Webb Space Telescope to study the weather of a nearby rogue planet, SIMP-0136. They found strong auroral activity similar to Earth's Northern Lights and detected minute changes in temperature, cloud cover, and chemistry.
Astronomers have discovered a frozen, water-rich planetary fragment being consumed by a white dwarf star outside our Solar System. The object is thought to be an icy planetesimal, possibly similar to Halley's Comet or Pluto, and has a high nitrogen abundance, making it a rare finding in the field.
New research suggests that technological alien life may be rare on planets without plate tectonics and too little carbon dioxide. The study found that a planet with 10% carbon dioxide could maintain a biosphere for up to 4.2 billion years, while one with 1% carbon dioxide would last only 3.1 billion years.
The ATREIDES program observes and analyzes exo-Neptune systems, revealing a surprisingly inclined orbital architecture that offers new insights into chaotic planetary history. The study of TOI-421 highlights the role of high-eccentricity migration in shaping planetary orbits.
The European Space Agency's Plato spacecraft has safely arrived at ESTEC in the Netherlands, where engineers will complete its assembly and conduct critical tests before its launch. The telescope is equipped with 26 ultrasensitive cameras designed to capture the dimming effect of exoplanets passing in front of their host stars.
A recent study using transits and light curves revealed that TOI-3884 is a highly tilted planetary system with a misaligned stellar spin axis and planet's orbital axis. The star's rotation period was also measured, providing insight into the system's unique geometry.
A new study has revealed chemical signatures of ancient Martian microbial life in the Bright Angel formation, a region of Jezero Crater known for its fine-grained mudstones rich in oxidized iron and organic carbon. The findings suggest that early microorganisms may have played a role in shaping these rocks through redox reactions.
Three planetary scientists have been awarded Europlanet Career Medals for their contributions to planetary science. Dr Tim Lichtenberg received the Early-Career Medal for his work on planetary formation and exoplanet evolution, while Dr Benoit Carry won the Mid-Career Medal for his research on asteroid structures and planetary defence.
Astronomers have detected a growing planet outside our solar system in a cleared gap of a multi-ringed disk of dust and gas. The discovery provides the first direct evidence that protoplanets can create these gaps, resolving a long-standing debate in the scientific community.
Astrobiologists have developed a new model to characterize water-rich sub-Neptunes, which are planets with sizes and masses between those of Earth and Neptune. This model accounts for the complex behavior of supercritical water and its implications for planetary formation and potential habitability.
Researchers propose that Jupiter-sized exoplanets may accumulate and collapse into detectable black holes due to dark matter. This process could potentially generate multiple black holes in a single exoplanet's lifetime, making exoplanet surveys a promising method for hunting superheavy dark matter particles.
Scientists found that ionic liquids, formed from sulfuric acid and organic compounds, could persist on planets too warm for water to exist. This discovery increases the habitability zone for rocky worlds, suggesting life might be possible without water.
Researchers at Cornell University have discovered that hot Jupiter exoplanets can exhibit polarizing dust interactions, similar to Earth's atmospheric phenomena. Silicate crystals in these exoplanets' atmospheres may align due to high-speed winds, producing observable effects like sun dogs.
The Near-InfraRed Planet Searcher (NIRPS) spectrograph, combined with HARPS, offers exceptional performance in detecting and characterizing exoplanets. The first scientific results revealed atmospheres of two gas giant exoplanets, including one with an extreme atmosphere containing evaporated iron.
A team of researchers has discovered a fifth planet in the L 98-59 planetary system, confirming its habitable zone and potential for liquid water. The planets' sizes and masses have been determined with unprecedented precision using data from space telescopes and high-precision instruments.
Researchers create water tornado to investigate flow properties in protoplanetary discs, mimicking gravitational field and finding particles' motion conforming to Kepler's laws. The experiment provides insights into dust-particle interactions promoting planet formation.
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.
A team of astronomers detected a large gas giant between three and ten times the size of Jupiter hiding in the swirling disc of gas and dust surrounding a young star called MP Mus. The discovery was made using a combination of results from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the European Space Agency’s Gaia miss...
A 2.35-billion-year-old meteorite offers fresh insights into the Moon's volcanic history and suggests ongoing internal heat generation processes. The rock's distinct composition provides new constraints on when and how volcanic activity occurred on the Moon.
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.
A new study reveals a connection between solar flares and short-term weather patterns on exoplanets. The research found that sudden outbursts of radiation from stars can cause measurable changes in a planet's climate within days.
Researchers using the James Webb Telescope have discovered silicate clouds in the atmosphere of exoplanet YSES-1-c, which is thought to be linked to the planet's relative youth. The findings offer new insights into planetary formation and atmospheric processes, shedding light on how our own solar system may have formed.
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.
Researchers suggest wide-orbit planets are natural by-products of a chaotic early phase in planetary system development. Simulations show that internal instabilities and gravitational influence can trap planets in extreme orbits.
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.
Scientists have discovered a planet with a comet-like tail, shedding surface minerals and evaporating away due to its close proximity to its star. The planet is estimated to disintegrate in about 1 million to 2 million years, leaving behind a long and dusty tail.
The discovery of a long-lived planet-forming disk around the star WISE J0446B reveals that disks can persist for three times longer than expected. The study provides new insights into planetary formation and the habitability of planets outside our solar system, particularly for low-mass stars.
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.
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.
Scientists have discovered birth sites of gigantic elliptical galaxies, suggesting large gas flows and galaxy collisions created these ancient systems. The research, published in Nature, may finally unravel the enigma of how these giant galaxies formed.
The telescope will focus cosmic light and send it to Roman's instruments, revealing billions of objects in space. The assembly underwent rigorous tests simulating launch conditions, temperature control, and gas handling.
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.
Scientists at Penn State and SETI Institute used the Allen Telescope Array to scan the TRAPPIST-1 star system for radio signals similar to those used by rovers on Mars. Although no extraterrestrial technology was found, the project introduced a new method for future searches.
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.