Extrasolar Planets

A New Technique for “Seeing” Exoplanet Surfaces Based on the Content of their Atmospheres

A new study takes a look at how the presence of a surface can affect an exoplanets atmosphere, giving astrobiologists…

5 months ago

If Astronomers see Isoprene in the Atmosphere of an Alien World, There’s a Good Chance There’s Life There

According to new research from MIT, isoprene is another biosignature we should be on the lookout for on exoplanets!

7 months ago

Gliese 486b is a Hellish World With Temperatures Above 700 Kelvin

The CARMENES consortium recently discovered a super-Earth just 21 light-years away that will be the perfect test case for exoplanets…

8 months ago

How Would Rain be Different on an Alien World?

A new study takes a look at possible rainfall patterns on exoplanets, which could help narrow the search for extraterrestrial…

8 months ago

Just Some of the Planets That TESS Has Found Nearby

Using data from TESS and a number of other observatories, an international team has found a system with three exoplanets…

9 months ago

What Are Extrasolar Planets?

For countless generations, human beings have looked out at the night sky and wondered if they were alone in the…

9 months ago

A Sunlike Star Found With Four (No, Five!) Exoplanets Orbiting It

Thanks to an international team astronomers led from MIT, a nearby Sun-like star has been spotted with a system of…

9 months ago

If a Planet Has a Lot of Methane in its Atmosphere, Life is the Most Likely Cause

The ultra-powerful James Webb Space Telescope will launch soon. Once it's deployed, and in position at the Earth-Sun Lagrange Point…

11 months ago

What Role do Radioactive Elements Play in a Planet’s Habitability?

According to new study by a team from UC Santa Cruz, the right amount of radioactive elements could also be…

12 months ago

Based on Kepler Data, There’s a 95% Chance of an Earth-Like Planet Within 20 Light-Years

Combining data from the retired Kepler mission with the Gaia Observatory, a team of scientists have produced new estimates for…

1 year ago