What exactly makes an exoplanet ‘habitable’?
Astronomers have been on the hunt for habitable planets outside of our own solar system for decades -- but what exactly counts as habitable?.....»»
Webb Telescope offers first glimpse of an exoplanet"s interior
A surprisingly low amount of methane and a super-sized core hide within the cotton candy–like planet WASP-107 b......»»
Webb cracks case of inflated exoplanet
Why is the warm gas-giant exoplanet WASP-107 b so puffy? Two independent teams of researchers have an answer......»»
James Webb telescope peers at the atmosphere of a rocky hell world
Webb recently investigated the exoplanet 55 Cancri e, finding what could be the first atmosphere of a rocky planet discovered outside the solar system......»»
Webb presents best evidence to date for rocky exoplanet atmosphere
Researchers using NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope may have detected an atmosphere surrounding 55 Cancri e, a rocky exoplanet 41 light-years from Earth. This is the best evidence to date for a rocky planet atmosphere outside our solar system......»»
Glow of an exoplanet may be from starlight reflecting off liquid iron
A phenomenon called a "glory" may be happening on a hellishly hot giant planet. Enlarge / Artist impression of a glory on exoplanet WASP-76b. (credit: ESA) Do rainbows exist on distant worlds? Many phenomena that happen.....»»
James Webb observes extremely hot exoplanet with 5,000 mph winds
Astronomers using the James Webb telescope have modeled the weather on a distant exoplanet, revealing winds whipping around at speeds of 5,000 miles per hour......»»
Webb telescope probably didn"t find life on an exoplanet—yet
Recent reports of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope finding signs of life on a distant planet understandably sparked excitement. A new study challenges this finding, but also outlines how the telescope might verify the presence of the life-produced g.....»»
TOI-837 b is a young Saturn-sized exoplanet with a massive core, observations find
European astronomers have performed photometric and spectroscopic observations of a distant giant exoplanet known as TOI-837 b. As a result, they found that TOI-837 b is a young Saturn-sized planet containing a massive core, which challenges current.....»»
New study reveals mystery of decaying exoplanet orbits
A new study led by researchers at Durham University has uncovered a novel mechanism that could solve a long-standing mystery about decaying planetary orbits around stars like our sun......»»
TESS finds its first rogue planet
Well over 5,000 planets have been found orbiting other star systems. One of the satellites hunting for them is TESS, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. Astronomers using TESS think they are made a rather surprising discovery; their first free.....»»
Will we know if TRAPPIST-1e has life?
The search for extrasolar planets is currently undergoing a seismic shift. With the deployment of the Kepler Space Telescope and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), scientists discovered thousands of exoplanets, most of which were detec.....»»
Radiating exoplanet discovered in "perfect tidal storm"
Can tidal forces cause an exoplanet's surface to radiate heat? This is what a study accepted to the Astronomical Journal hopes to address as a team of international researchers used data collected from ground-based instruments to confirm the existenc.....»»
How to keep Earth from being cooked by the ever-hotter Sun
Here are two options for future humans to keep us in the habitable zone. I’d wager a guess that we are, as a species, rather fond of our home planet (our wanton carbon emissions notwithstanding). But the ugly truth is that the Eart.....»»
Hydrogen recombination found to be most plausible explanation for high levels of energy in stellar superflares
Although their primary purpose is to look for exoplanets, observatories like the Kepler Space Telescope and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) have supplied a vast amount of data on stellar flares, detected with high-precision photometr.....»»
HD 21997 is a high-frequency Delta Scuti pulsator, observations find
Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), astronomers have observed a young star designated HD 21997. Results of the new observations indicate that the studied object is a high-frequency Delta Scuti pulsator. The finding was describe.....»»
New young and warm Jupiter-like exoplanet detected
An international team of astronomers reports the detection of a new young and warm exoplanet orbiting a distant star. The newfound alien world, designated TOI-4862 b (or NGTS-30 b), is similar in size and mass to Jupiter. The finding was published Ap.....»»
First indications of a rare, rainbow ‘glory effect’ on hellish exoplanet
Researchers believe they may have identified a set of rainbow-like colorful rings, called a glory, on a planet outside our solar system for the first time......»»
Arecibo Observatory telescope outfitted with a wideband cryogenic system to expand its capabilities
Constructed within a natural sinkhole in Puerto Rico, the 305-meter-wide Arecibo Telescope played a part in numerous discoveries, including the first detection of an exoplanet. It was the largest radio telescope in the United States from 1963 until i.....»»
In a distant stellar system, the JWST sees the end of planet formation
Every time a star forms, it represents an explosion of possibilities. Not for the star itself; its fate is governed by its mass. The possibilities it signifies are in the planets that form around it. Will some be rocky? Will they be in the habitable.....»»
New nearby mini-Neptune exoplanet discovered
An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of a new mini-Neptune exoplanet orbiting a nearby star. The newfound alien world, designated TOI-4438 b is about 2.5 times larger than the Earth. The finding was detailed in a paper published.....»»