exoplanet

This is an artist’s concept of the exoplanet GJ 9827d, the smallest exoplanet where water vapor has been detected in the atmosphere. The planet could be an example of potential planets with water-rich atmospheres elsewhere in our galaxy. With only about twice Earth’s diameter, the planet orbits the red dwarf star GJ 9827. Two inner planets in the system are on the left. The background stars are plotted as they would be seen to the unaided eye looking back toward our Sun. The Sun is too faint to be seen. The blue star at…

Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring material on Earth, but a supercomputer just modeled stuff that’s even harder. Called a ‘super-diamond,’ the theoretical material could exist beyond our planet—and maybe, one day, be created here on Earth.Do We Have to Send Humans to Mars for Exploration?Like normal diamonds, super-diamonds are made from carbon atoms. This specific phase of carbon, composed of eight atoms, should be stable at ambient conditions. In other words, it could exist in an Earth laboratory.The specific…

In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revealed intriguing details about a distant exoplanet, sparking a debate among scientists about its potential habitability. The exoplanet, known as TOI-270 d, lies approximately 70 light-years away and boasts twice the radius of Earth.Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope exposed the presence of water vapour, methane, and carbon dioxide in the exoplanet's atmosphere, suggesting a composition consistent with a colossal water world.…

In the search for extraterrestrial life, MIT scientists say a planet’s carbon-lite atmosphere, relative to its neighbors, could be a sure and detectable signal of habitability. Credit: SciTechDaily.comA low carbon abundance in planetary atmospheres, which the James Webb Space Telescope can detect, could be a signature of habitability.Scientists at MIT, the University of Birmingham, and elsewhere say that astronomers’ best chance of finding liquid water, and even life on other planets, is to look for the absence, rather…

Advanced telescopes are poised to revolutionize the search for extraterrestrial life by studying the atmospheres of exoplanets. Recent research shows their ability to detect key biosignatures, with a focus on direct imaging techniques and the comparative analysis of space and ground-based telescopes. Credit: SciTechDaily.comHigh-tech telescopes search for chemicals necessary for life on Earth.The next generation of advanced telescopes could sharpen the hunt for potential extraterrestrial life by closely scrutinizing the…

This illustration depicts the aftermath of a collision between two giant exoplanets. What remains is a hot, molten planetary core and a swirling, glowing cloud of dust and debris. Credit: Mark A. GarlickResearchers have discovered evidence of a colossal exoplanet collision, marked by a glowing cloud of gas and dust, through observations of a young star’s unusual brightness fluctuations.A cosmic cloud, glowing with an unusual luminosity, has unveiled the aftermath of a cataclysmic collision in the cosmos. This discovery…

Artistic representation of an exoplanet whose water ice on the surface is increasingly vaporizing and forming an atmosphere during its approach to the central star of the planetary system. This process increases the measured planetary radius compared to the value the planet would have at its place of origin. Credit: Thomas Müller (MPIA)Simulations provide a potential explanation for the mysterious gap in the size distribution of super-Earths.Ordinarily, planets in evolved planetary systems, such as the Solar System,…

Astronomers have discovered a super-Earth, TOI-715 b, in a potentially habitable zone around a red dwarf star 137 light-years away. This planet, which is about one and a half times the size of Earth, could support liquid water if other conditions, such as a suitable atmosphere, are met. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.comA new super-Earth, TOI-715 b, found 137 light-years away could harbor conditions for life, orbiting within the habitable zone of a red dwarf star. A possible second Earth-sized planet in the same…

An amusing rendition of the TOI-1136 system if each body in the system were a duck or duckling. Credit: Rae Holcomb/UCIResearchers have unveiled a solar system with up to seven exoplanets around TOI-1136, employing advanced methodologies for precise measurements of their characteristics, which could significantly influence theories on planet formation.A recently discovered solar system with six confirmed exoplanets and a possible seventh is boosting astronomers’ knowledge of planet formation and evolution. Relying on a…

Artist’s depiction of KELT-9b, a hot Jupiter planet orbiting a star roughly 670 light-years from Earth and a scientific target of the CUTE spacecraft. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterNASA’s CUTE spacecraft, despite its small size, has significantly advanced our knowledge of “hot Jupiters,” revealing varied atmospheric behaviors and contributing to our understanding of planetary evolution, while also offering practical experience for students.A spacecraft the size of a cereal box has collected precise…