Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s (European Space Agency’s) XMM-Newton, astronomers are exploring whether nearby stars could host habitable exoplanets, based on whether they emit radiation that could destroy potential conditions for life as we know it. This type of research will help guide observations with the next generation of telescopes aiming to take … Read more
For the first time, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ices have been observed in the far reaches of our solar system on trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). A research team, led by planetary scientists Mário Nascimento De Prá and Noemí Pinilla-Alonso from the University of Central Florida’s Florida Space Institute (FSI), made the findings by using the … Read more
Recent discoveries by the James Webb Space Telescope have unveiled surprising details about WASP-107 b, an exoplanet that has intrigued astronomers with its puffy, cotton candy-like appearance. The findings reveal an unexpectedly low amount of methane and a massive core, providing new insights into the planet’s structure and composition. WASP-107 b orbits a star roughly … Read more
Why is the warm gas-giant exoplanet WASP-107 b so puffy? Two independent teams of researchers have an answer. Data collected using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, combined with prior observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, show surprisingly little methane (CH4) in the planet’s atmosphere, indicating that the interior of WASP-107 b must be significantly hotter … Read more
Dead stars known as white dwarfs, have a mass like the sun while being similar in size to Earth. They are common in our galaxy, as 97% of stars are white dwarfs. As stars reach the end of their lives, their cores collapse into the dense ball of a white dwarf, making our galaxy seem … Read more
A team of astronomers and citizen scientists has discovered a planet in the habitable zone of an unusual star system, including two stars and potentially another exoplanet. The planet hunters spotted the Neptune-like planet as it crossed in front of its host star, temporarily dimming the star’s light in a way akin to a solar … Read more
Exploring the Oort Cloud and comets is a captivating journey into the outer reaches of our solar system, shedding light on the origins of celestial bodies, the dynamics of the solar system, and the processes that shaped the early solar nebula. The Oort Cloud, a vast reservoir of icy bodies orbiting the Sun at great … Read more
The Kuiper Belt, a vast region of icy bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune, holds valuable clues about the early solar system’s formation and evolution. This distant realm, named after astronomer Gerard Kuiper, is home to a diverse array of objects, including dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). Exploring the Kuiper Belt and … Read more
The exploration of planetary systems beyond our solar system has revealed a surprising diversity of worlds, challenging our preconceptions and expanding our understanding of cosmic evolution. From hot Jupiter systems with close-in gas giants to compact multi-planet systems and distant exoplanetary families, the variety of planetary configurations defies simple categorization and underscores the complexity of … Read more
The discovery of exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system, has revolutionized our understanding of the universe and the potential for life beyond Earth. This groundbreaking field of astronomy has uncovered a diverse array of alien worlds, ranging from rocky terrestrial planets to gas giants orbiting distant stars. The exploration of exoplanets has expanded our … Read more
Scientists from the California Institute of Technology, Université Côte d’Azur, and Southwest Research Institute have set their sights on unveiling the elusive Planet 9, a distant enigma lurking on the fringes of our solar system. Their recent findings, published on the arXiv preprint server and soon to be featured in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, have reignited … Read more
Asteroids play a significant role in the evolution and dynamics of our solar system, influencing planetary formation, composition, and ongoing processes. These rocky bodies, ranging in size from small boulders to large dwarf planets, are remnants of the early solar nebula from which the planets formed. Origins and Diversity of Asteroids Asteroids are rocky or … Read more
Exoplanets, or extrasolar planets, are celestial bodies that orbit stars outside our solar system. These distant worlds have captivated the imagination of scientists and the public alike, offering tantalizing glimpses into the diversity of planetary systems beyond our own. The study of exoplanets has revealed a wealth of wonders, from rocky worlds resembling Earth to … Read more
Recent discoveries in space science have unveiled intriguing insights into the early dynamics of our solar system, shedding light on the formation of celestial bodies like our moon. A team of space scientists led by the University of Leicester has unearthed evidence from the remnants of a destroyed asteroid, hinting at a crucial period in … Read more
A ring of icy rocks orbiting our sun just beyond Neptune may give us a glimpse of how Neptune—and other objects in the outskirts of our solar system—were formed. Mors-Somnus, a binary duo comprised of a pair of icy asteroids bound by gravity, was recently concluded to have originated within the Kuiper Belt, meaning it … Read more