exoplanets

Moons are Planets too

If we define planets as worlds that are geologically complex, then some moons are planets too.

2 weeks ago

Astronomers see a Moon-Forming Disk Around a Super-Jupiter

Recently, astronomers have been finding protoplanetary discs around certain stars.  Their discovery has helped kick off a new work in…

4 weeks ago

Rare Planet Found Orbiting Three Stars

It's a hat-trick! Astronomers may have spotted the first ever known planet orbiting not one, not two, but three stars.…

1 month ago

A Technique to Find Oceans on Other Worlds

A new study shows how next-generation observatories could directly observe oceans on exoplanets, which could narrow the search for extraterrestrial…

1 month ago

Astronomers Look at Super-Earths That had Their Atmospheres Stripped Away by Their Stars

A new study examines two rocky exoplanets (TOI-1634b and TOI-1685b) that appear to have been stripped of their atmospheres.

1 month ago

Astronomers Detect Clouds on an Exoplanet, and Even Measure Their Altitude

An international research team shows how combining data from multiple observatories allowed them to detect clouds in the atmosphere of…

2 months ago

A New Way to Search for Exomoons

We'd love to find another planet like Earth. Not exactly like Earth; that's kind of ridiculous and probably a little…

2 months ago

Ground-Based Observatories Could use Starshades to see Planets too

All hail the occulter: an orbiting starshade for ground-based telescopes. (more…)

2 months ago

Ocean Worlds With Hydrogen-Rich Atmospheres Could be the Perfect Spots for Life

A new study has identified another class of exoplanet that could drastically increase the odds of finding life beyond the…

2 months ago

Rocky Planet Found With Only Half the Mass of Venus

When it comes to finding exoplanets, size matters, but so does weight.  The larger and heavier the planet, the more…

3 months ago