Articles tagged with Planetary Astronomy
Researchers have developed a method to calculate the ages of individual stars by measuring their spin periods and masses. The technique, known as gyrochronology, uses mathematical relationships between mass, rotation rate, and age to determine stellar ages with precision.
Planets close to low-mass stars may have formed with water and atmospheres burned away, reducing habitability. These 'Mirage Earths' could resemble Earth from afar but lack essential components for life.
Astronomers have discovered a Uranus-like planet 25,000 light-years away, which orbits one star in a binary system. The planet's composition remains unknown due to its immense distance from the star.
Astronomers have mapped the temperature and water vapor on WASP-43b, a hot exoplanet with turbulent conditions. The findings provide insights into atmospheric dynamics and how giant planets like Jupiter are formed.
Researchers have detected water vapor and hydrogen on the exoplanet HAT P-11b, a planet about four times bigger than Earth. This discovery supports astronomers' ideas about planetary formation and suggests that small planets may be rich in heavy elements like oxygen.
Researchers found that hot Jupiters, large gas giants outside our solar system, can make their suns wobble due to gravitational influence. This phenomenon leads to chaotic spin-axis changes in the star, similar to weather and climate patterns.
Astronomers have pinpointed the 'Venus Zone' as a critical area around stars where planets are likely to exhibit unlivable conditions. This definition will help Kepler researchers distinguish between habitable and uninhabitable planets, enabling better understanding of Earth's atmospheric evolution.
Researchers using the Green Bank Telescope have found pebble-size particles near the Orion Nebula, a potential new class of interstellar particles that could aid planet formation. These dense ribbons of rocky material may represent a mid-size class of particles, with sizes up to a centimeter across.
Astronomers have discovered two new planets orbiting a nearby ancient star, Kapteyn's Star, which is just 13 light years away from Earth. One planet, Kapteyn b, is thought to be warm enough to support liquid water on its surface, while the second, Kapteyn c, is a more massive super-Earth with uncertain habitability.
A team of astronomers has discovered a new type of planet, Kepler-10c, a mega-Earth with a diameter of approximately 18,000 miles. The planet's mass is 17 times that of Earth, indicating it is composed primarily of rocks and other solids.
Researchers have developed a model to estimate the effect of Earth-like planet ingestion on star chemical composition. By analyzing twin stars with planets, they found significant changes in refractory element abundance, supporting the connection between exoplanets and stellar hosts.
Scientists studied the persistence of a hexagon-shaped atmospheric phenomenon on Saturn, which remains constant despite large radiative forcing in its atmosphere. The findings suggest that the hexagon is deeply rooted within Saturn's atmosphere and could reveal the planet's internal rotational period.
A team of astronomers has developed a viable model for the planetary system orbiting the star 55 Cancri, solving long-standing mysteries about the masses and orbits of its two giant planets. The study reveals that their particular masses and orbits are preventing the system from self-destructing anytime soon.
Astronomers confirm first self-lensing binary star system, where the closer star's mass is measured by its magnifying effect on light from its companion. This discovery improves research on white dwarfs and galaxy age, using gravitational lensing to reveal new insights into these celestial objects.
Research reveals that a planet's tilt can increase its habitability by reducing the likelihood of freezing over. The study expands the habitable zone by 10-20%, doubling the number of potentially habitable planets in the galaxy. This discovery opens up new possibilities for life beyond Earth and its neighbor planets.
Researchers successfully captured an image of exoplanet Beta Pictoris b using a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor in visible light, confirming its atmosphere is at 2600 degrees Fahrenheit. The achievement marks a significant step towards detecting habitable planets around other stars.
Astronomers have developed a new method to gauge exoplanet pressure by detecting dimer molecules. This technique may also help identify biosignatures of life in extraterrestrial atmospheres. The discovery could be made possible with future powerful telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope.
Researchers found a new giant planet in the Pisces constellation using radial velocity technique, contradicting initial assumption that only single-star systems host planets. The discovery has significant implications for understanding how extrasolar planets are formed and could lead to further discoveries in multiple-star systems.
Researchers from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) have measured galaxy distances over six billion light-years away to an unprecedented one-percent accuracy. This achievement places new constraints on dark energy and provides valuable insights into the mysterious force driving the universe's accelerating expansion.
The discovery of KOI-314c reveals a planet weighing as much as Earth but 60% larger in diameter, indicating a thick, gaseous atmosphere. The planet's mass was measured using transit timing variations (TTV), a young method for studying low-mass planets.
Kepler-78b is the first known Earth-sized planet with an Earth-like density, posing a challenge to theorists due to its extremely tight orbit. The planet's mass measurement confirms it as the poster child for a new class of small, hot planets.
Researchers used data from NASA's Kepler space telescope to observe a distant planetary system with multiple planets at severe tilt to their host star. The discovery suggests that tilted planetary orbits are possible even in systems without a hot Jupiter, providing new insights into the architecture of alien solar systems.
A new study led by UA graduate student Johanna Teske reexamines the composition of a potentially diamond-rich exoplanet, finding it may contain less carbon than previously thought. The analysis, based on revised star observations, suggests that the 'diamond planet' could be more rocky than initially proposed.
Recent study reveals that coldest brown dwarfs are warmer than initially thought, with temperatures around 250-350 degrees Fahrenheit. This challenges current understanding of their behavior and raises questions about the role of other factors in driving chemistry at their surfaces.
Researchers found a lower thermal radiation threshold for the runaway greenhouse process, making it easier to initiate than previously thought. This could lead to a revised understanding of the habitable zone and potentially revoke candidacy for some planets as possible habitable worlds.
Mercedes Richards, a professor at Penn State University, is being recognized for her groundbreaking research on interacting binary stars. She uses computer models and movies to illustrate how these stars interact, and has made both 2D and 3D images of the gravitational flow of gas between stars in any interacting binary-star system. Ri...
Astronomer Diana Dragomir reveals the hidden identity of super-Earth HD 97658b, measuring its size and mass for the first time. The exoplanet's density suggests a thick atmosphere, but it orbits too close to its star to support liquid water oceans.
Astronomers have discovered three 'super-earths' in the habitable zone of the nearby star Gliese 667C, boosting the search for Earth-like planets. The newly found system is packed with at least six planets, offering a promising new era for studying potentially life-supporting worlds.
Astronomers found two planets smaller than Neptune orbiting Sun-like stars in the dense star cluster NGC 6811. The discovery shows that planets can form and survive even in crowded clusters.
Researchers aim to discover planets with conditions suitable for life by detecting faint dust clouds around nearby stars. The new technology will improve the odds of finding Earth-like planets with liquid water on their surface.
A team led by University of Louisville doctoral student Karen Collins discovered KELT-6b, a hot Saturn-like planet with an orbit that transits its star every 7.8 days, in the constellation Coma Berenices near Leo.
Using the characterization by proxy method, Sarah Ballard infers the properties of small, cool stars like Kepler-61, which is too far away to be directly measured. This allows for a better understanding of planets orbiting these stars, including the recently discovered planet Kepler-61b.
Researchers observed four planets orbiting HR 8799 star using a new telescope imaging system, revealing chemical imbalances and unusual properties. The planets have methane or ammonia alone in their atmospheres, with little to no sign of their natural partners.
Researchers collected the first chemical fingerprints of a distant solar system's four red exoplanets, revealing unique spectra and peculiar characteristics. The findings suggest that the planets are too toxic and hot to sustain life as we know it.
An international team led by Sascha Quanz has studied the disc of gas and dust around young star HD 100546, spotting a candidate protoplanet that could be a giant similar to Jupiter. The discovery provides an unique laboratory for studying the formation process of a new planetary system.
Astronomers used Kepler spacecraft data to discover a planet smaller than Mercury, about the size of Earth's moon, in the Cygnus-Lyra region of the Milky Way. The planet, Kepler-37b, is likely a rocky world with no atmosphere or water.
Rachel Somerville's research focuses on creating computer models that simulate galaxy formation and evolution. Her work helps astronomers understand how galaxies first formed and how they continue to evolve in the contemporary universe.
Scientists have discovered six likely comets around distant stars, which could be a sign that comets are as common in other stellar systems as planets. The discovery was made using the high-resolution spectrograph of the McDonald Observatory telescope and suggests that comets may play a crucial role in planetary formation.
A Caltech-led team estimated that there are at least 100 billion planets in the galaxy, with one planet per star, based on their analysis of the Kepler-32 system. The planets in this system are typical of those found around M-dwarf stars and may represent the majority of planets in the galaxy.
Astronomers have discovered that planets forming around a young star are helping the star continue to grow by clearing gaps in its surrounding disk. The ALMA telescope has detected thin gas filling these gaps and streamers of dense gas bringing material from the outer disk, near and onto the planets.
The discovery of L1527 IRS marks the oldest known solar system in formation, with a rotating dust disk and a protostar expected to grow to match the Sun's mass. The system is thought to be around 300,000 years old, compared to the 4.6 billion-year age of our own Solar System.
Asteroid belts may play a key role in the evolution of complex life. According to a NASA study, only a tiny fraction of planetary systems seem to have giant planets in the right location to produce an asteroid belt of the appropriate size. This suggests that our solar system may be special.
A new analysis of Hubble observations suggests Fomalhaut b is a rare, uniquely massive planet shrouded by dust. The team found the planet remained at constant brightness, contradicting earlier interpretations of it as a transient dust cloud.
Astronomers discover the first transiting circumbinary multi-planet system, Kepler-47, which contains two planets orbiting around a pair of stars. The inner planet is the smallest known transiting circumbinary planet and orbits every 49 days, while the outer planet orbits every 303 days and is in the habitable zone.
Astronomers have discovered evidence of a planet's destruction by its aging star, BD+48 740. The star's peculiar chemical composition and highly unusual elliptical orbit suggest that it consumed a massive planet, leaving behind a surviving massive planet with an eccentric orbit.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis use simulations to determine the atmospheres of hot super-Earths, finding they are mostly composed of steam and carbon dioxide. The study helps astronomers distinguish between different planetary compositions by analyzing atmospheric spectra.
A study published in Nature found that a cloud of dust circling a young star disappeared within three years, contradicting the commonly accepted timescale for dust removal. This sudden disappearance suggests that planet formation may be much faster or more efficient than previously thought.
Astronomers have found two planets with diverse densities and compositions locked in close orbits, defying the planetary pattern of our solar system. The discovery, made possible by NASA's Kepler Mission, reveals a 'puzzling pair' that challenges theories on planet migration and orbital rearrangement.
A recent study proposes that up to 100,000 nomad planets might exist in the Milky Way Galaxy for every star, with an estimated quadrillion number of total nomads. If confirmed, this could mean nomad planets play a significant role in the universe.
Studies suggest that careful analysis of electrical signals from brain activity may reveal important harmonic relationships in brain circuits. Abnormalities in structure and function are reflected in disrupted musical combinations, such as cacophonous music.
Astronomers discovered that hot Jupiter-type planets are likely to have no companions in their systems, supporting the theory of a close encounter with another body causing orbital elongation. This study used Kepler mission data and found compelling evidence for companion planets around warm Jupiters and hot Neptunes.
Astronomers will witness a rare transit of Venus, appearing as a small black dot on the Sun's surface, which won't happen again until 2117. The event will help scientists study Venus's atmosphere and potentially aid in finding extrasolar planets.
Astronomers at the University of Florida have discovered two low-mass planets orbiting the nearby star Fomalhaut. Using ALMA's superior resolution and sensitivity, they found that the ring of dust surrounding the star is shaped by two planets working together to maintain its narrow width.
The NIST/CU laser frequency comb has been used to calibrate measurements of starlight from stars other than the Sun, achieving precision comparable to established techniques. This technique may help detect Earth-like planets, which are hard to detect with conventional technology.
Two new planets, Kepler-34 and Kepler-35, have been discovered orbiting binary suns in the Cygnus constellation. The discovery indicates that planets can revolve around double stars, challenging our understanding of solar systems.
The discovery of three smallest confirmed planets ever detected outside our solar system may boost the likelihood of existence of habitable planets. The planets, all rocky with a solid surface, orbit a small star called KOI-961, which is similar to red dwarfs, the most common type in the Milky Way.
Astronomers at Vanderbilt University and Caltech discovered three smallest planets yet orbiting a distant star, KOI-961, connected to Barnard's star. The planets range in size from Mars to three-quarters the size of Earth, with short orbits making liquid water impossible.
Scientists have discovered two new circumbinary planets, Kepler-34b and Kepler-35b, orbiting two stars in the constellation Cygnus. The discovery suggests that planets with two suns are common, potentially existing in millions in the Galaxy. This finding sheds light on the formation of these unique planetary systems.
Two new transiting circumbinary planet systems have been discovered using data from NASA's Kepler Mission. The planets, Kepler-34 b and Kepler-35 b, orbit two stars in the constellation Cygnus, with climates that could experience dramatic temperature changes due to the variable distance between the planet and its stars.
Researchers have discovered two new planets, Kepler-34b and Kepler-35b, orbiting a binary star system using data from NASA's Kepler mission. The low-density gas giants are comparable in size to Jupiter but much less massive, with Kepler-34 being about 24% smaller and Kepler-35 being about 26% smaller.