exoplanets
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…
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…
Could We Detect an Alien Civilization Trying to Warm Their Planet?
Humanity is facing an atmospheric threat of our own device, and our internecine squabbles are hampering our ability to neutralize…
Which Stars are Lethal to their Planets?
Many years ago, there was a viral YouTube video called "History of the entire world, i guess," which has been…
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…
Suppressing Starlight: How to Find Other Earths
One underappreciated aspect of the current flood of exoplanet discoveries is the technical marvels that enable it. Scientists and engineers…
A Mini-Neptune in the Habitable Zone in a Binary Star System
Sometimes, it seems like habitable worlds can pop up almost anywhere in the universe. A recent paper from a team…
A New Venus-Sized World Found in the Habitable Zone of its Star
The parade of interesting new exoplanets continues. Today, NASA issued a press release announcing the discovery of a new exoplanet…
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…