Extrasolar Planets
Astronomers Find Youngest Exoplanet Yet
[/caption] Overcoming interference from a very active young sun-like star, a group of astronomers were able to find what they…
If the Earth is Rare, We May Not Hear from ET
[/caption] If civilization-forming intelligent life is rare in our Milky Way galaxy, chances are we won't hear from ET before…
New Technique to Find Earth-like Exoplanets
[/caption] Another technique has been added to the exo-planet hunters' toolkit, and it doesn't require huge ground-based telescopes or space-based…
How Water Protected Our Molecules
One would think that crafting a shield out of water wouldn't do much good (not in medieval combat re-enactments, anyways).…
Planet of Lava a Former Gas Giant
Matryoshka dolls are a popular novelty for tourists going to Russia to bring home for their children. These dolls, which…
First Direct Spectrum of an Exoplanet Orbiting a Sun-like Star
[/caption] Astronomers have obtained the first direct spectrum – a “chemical fingerprint” – of a planet orbiting a distant, Sun-like…
Second Smallest Exoplanet Found
[/caption] Planet hunters have detected an extrasolar planet that is only four times the mass of Earth, making it the…
Kepler Discovers Planets-like Objects Hotter Than Stars
Possible habitable zones around stars. Credit: Kepler mission The Kepler mission announced the discovery of 5 new extrasolar planets today…
New Observations of TrES-2b May Reveal New Exoplanet
[/caption] For those know their solar system history, the discovery of Neptune is an especially exciting story. Before it was…
First Super-Earths Discovered Around Sun-like Stars
Astronomers say it’s a "neck-and-neck race" as to whether the first potentially habitable planets will be detected from the ground…