Extrasolar Planets
Planetary Habitability Depends on its Star’s Magnetic Field
The extrasolar planet census recently passed a major milestone, with 5500 confirmed candidates in 4,243 solar systems. With so many…
The Ultraviolet Habitable Zone Sets a Time Limit on the Formation of Life
The field of extrasolar planet studies has grown exponentially in the past twenty years. Thanks to missions like Kepler, the…
Do Planets Have the Raw Ingredients for Life? The Answer is in their Stars
Finding planets that already have, or have the ingredients for intelligent life is a real challenge. It is exciting that…
Take a Look at These Stunning New Exoplanet Infographics
Martin Vargic is a space enthusiast, author, and graphic artist from Slovakia. He created two new infographic posters that show…
Instead of Losing its Atmosphere, an Exoplanet Puffed Up and Held Onto it
To date, astronomers have confirmed the existence of 5638 extrasolar planets in 4,199 star systems. In the process, scientists have…
Astronomers Discover the Second-Lightest “Cotton Candy” Exoplanet to Date.
The hunt for extrasolar planets has revealed some truly interesting candidates, not the least of which are planets known as…
You Can't Know the True Size of an Exoplanet Without Knowing its Star's Magnetic Field
In 2011, astronomers with the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) consortium detected a gas giant orbiting very close to…
Webb Finds Hints of a Third Planet at PDS 70
The exoplanet census now stands at 5,599 confirmed discoveries in 4,163 star systems, with another 10,157 candidates awaiting confirmation. So…
This Hot Jupiter is Doomed to Crash Into its Star in Just Three Million Years
In 2008, astronomers with the SuperWASP survey spotted WASP-12b as it transited in front of its star. At the time,…
Science Fiction is Learning About Exoplanets From Science
As long as it has existed as a genre, there has been a notable relationship between science fiction and science…