Planetary Formation Archives

This Meteorite is One of the Few Remnants from a Lost Planet that was Destroyed Long Ago

19 Apr , 2018 by Evan Gough

A new study provides evidence of a so-called lost planet that was formed in the early days of the Solar System, and subsequently destroyed in a collision.

Look at This Fascinating Variety of Planet-Forming Disks Around Other Stars

13 Apr , 2018 by Evan Gough

New images from the European Southern Observatory show the stunning variety of discs of gas and dust that surround young stars.

Hubble Sees a Huge Dust Cloud Around a Newly Forming Star

9 Mar , 2018 by Evan Gough

The Hubble has detected a massive dust cloud 150 billion miles across around the young star HR 4796A.

The Insight lander responds to commands to spread its solar arrays during a January 23, 2018 test at the Lockheed Martin clean room in Littleton, Colorado. Image: Lockheed Martin Space

NASA’s Insight Lander Spreads Its Solar Wings. It’ll Fly To Mars In May, 2018

26 Jan , 2018 by Evan Gough

NASA’s InSight lander will launch in May 2018, NASA has announced. InSight will study the interior structure of Mars to learn how it, and other rocky planets, formed and evolved.

“Monster Planet” Discovered, Makes Scientists Rethink Theories of Planetary Formation

1 Nov , 2017 by Matt Williams

The discovery of a Jupiter-sized planet around a red dwarf star has caused astronomers to rethink some of their theories on planet formation.

Artist's impression of a Mars-sized object crashing into the Earth, starting the process that eventually created our Moon. Credit: Joe Tucciarone

Scientists Propose a New Kind of Planet: A Smashed Up Torus of Hot Vaporized Rock

24 May , 2017 by Evan Gough

Under the right conditions, two colliding rocky bodies might form a temporary structure called a ‘synestia’. This rotating mass of partially vaporized rock would might only last a hundred years or so.

Finally, the Missing Link in Planetary Formation!

28 Feb , 2017 by Matt Williams

A new study by an international team of scientists may be the “missing link” in our understanding of how planets form from debris disks.

Juno Snaps Final View of Jovian System Ahead of ‘Independence Day’ Orbital Insertion Fireworks Tonight – Watch Live

4 Jul , 2016 by Ken Kremer

After a nearly 5 year odyssey across the solar system, NASA’s solar powered Juno orbiter is all set to ignite its main engine late tonight and set off a powerful charge of do-or-die fireworks on America’s ‘Independence Day’ required to place the probe into orbit around Jupiter – the ‘King of the Planets.’

This image shows the moons of our Solar System's four icy dwarf planets. Pluto and Haumea have been considered as cousin planets because it's thought that their moons were formed in collisions. A new study focussed on Haumea's moons raises some interesting questions. Image: D. Ragozzine (FIT)/NASA/JHU/SwRI

Haumean Moons Deepen The Dwarf Planet Mystery

17 May , 2016 by Evan Gough

Pluto and Haumea have long been thought of as cousins. But a new study highlights Haumea’s lack of small, icy moons, and has astronomers puzzled.

A new paper says that a Super-Earth may have formed in our Solar System and been swallowed by the Sun. Image Credit: ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser

Our Sun May Have Eaten A Super Earth For Breakfast

20 Apr , 2016 by Evan Gough

A Super-Earth may have formed in our Solar System’s earlier days, and then been destroyed by the Sun.

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