Earthlike

The space-based TESS satellite that uses the transit method to measure the small drops of a stellar light when an exoplanet passes in front of it. TESS allowed for the characterization of the sub-Neptune HD88986b by accurately determining the size of the planet. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterAstronomers have uncovered a rare finding: a small, chilly exoplanet accompanied by a significantly larger outer companion, providing new insights into how Earth-like planets are formed.The findings include a planet with a…

Research reveals that giant gas planets in other star systems often make their Earth-like neighbors uninhabitable by disrupting orbits and climates. Unlike Jupiter’s protective role in our solar system, these planets frequently prevent the development of stable, life-supporting conditions, highlighting the exceptional nature of our planetary configuration. Artist’s depiction of an extra-solar system that is crowded with giant planets. Credit: NASA/Dana BerryThe research also reveals how they can prevent life in other…

A joint research by scientists from NASA and Japan’s Osaka University suggests that the US space agency's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, set to launch by May 2027, could find 400 Earth-mass rogue planets. Rogue planets, unlike regular planets, are not associated with any star and drift through space. In simpler terms, rogue planets are free-floating planets that are not bound to the gravitational force of a star. Earth is bound to the Sun. These are also said to far outnumber planets that orbit stars. “We estimate…

Using microwave instruments to peer deep beneath the surface of the far side of the Moon, researchers have detected a ‘hotspot’ they say is a large subsurface granite mass, suggesting the Moon is more "Earth-like" than we thought.Granite rocks are common on Earth due to our planet’s abundant water and tectonic plates, which help to melt and recycle materials in the planet’s crust. They’re almost absent elsewhere in the solar system, though. But now, a new study has made an unexpected discovery: a large granite mass on the…

Data obtained by NASA's Juno probe is providing fresh information on how the lightning processes on Jupiter are similar to those on Earth despite the dramatic differences between the two planets, according to scientists.Hidden below the brownish ammonia clouds blanketing Jupiter are clouds that, like on Earth, are made of water. And like on Earth, lightning often is generated within these clouds — an eerie sight spotted by various spacecraft, including Juno, that have visited our solar system's largest planet.Earth is a…

Astronomers have found a planet a mere 87 light years away that is almost exactly the same size as Earth, orbiting its star at a distance that is neither roasting nor frozen.Sounds perfect for Earth 2.0, right? Not so fast. The exoplanet known as LP 791-18d has been tugged so far out of an even circular orbit by another planet that its insides are probably a roiling hot mess that erupt from its surface in the form of raging volcanoes.Even if it isn't exactly homely, the discovery could help astronomers better understand…

Scientists using NASA's TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) and Spitzer Space Telescope have made a remarkable discovery —an Earth sized exoplanet orbiting a star in a neighbouring galaxy. This finding provides the strongest evidence to date of active volcanoes existing beyond our solar system. The observations indicate that this rocky planet has a rugged surface and experiences frequent eruptions, resembling Jupiter's moon Io, which is the most volcanically active body in our solar system. While the volcanism…

A new study led by UCLA scientists on how water forms on young exoplanets with hydrogen atmospheres and molten oceans of magma suggests that Earth-like planets may not be as uncommon as once thought and that the presence of water on such planets may be almost inevitable.One of the historically annoying things about trying to figure out how many planets like Earth that there are in the galaxy is that we only have one real example of an Earth-like planet and we're standing on it.Since a total sample size of exactly one is…

One of the main questions surrounding humanity’s next giant leap into deep space is whether humans can thrive on missions far from Earth. A new theory says yes, but only in environments modeled deeply after our own planet.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewFather-daughter research duo Morgan Irons of Cornell University and Lee G. Irons from the Norfolk Institute dubthe idea “pancosmorio,” a word that means “all word limit,” in a paper published in Frontiers in Astronomy and…

The success of deep space missions may rely on one massive accomplishment, a few scientists have claimed. According to father-daughter research duo Morgon and Lee G. Irons, missions to other planets will require us to recreate Earth’s ecosystems, gravity, and oxygen to survive. In a new paper published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, the duo argues that humans will need a “self-restoring, Earth-like, natural ecosystem” to succeed during these missions. We’ve already seen research on the…