Exoplanets
A New Way to Detect Rocky Exoplanet Atmospheres
The total number of exoplanets discovered to date totals 5,288. Among them are a host of rocky, Earth-like exoplanets but…
Bernard's Star Has a Planet (Again)!
The red dwarf Barnard's Star is the closest single star to the Sun, only six light-years away. Astronomers have announced…
An Earth-like Planet Around a Dead Sun Provides Some Reassurance About the Future of Earth
In about five billion years, our Sun will exit its main sequence phase and transition to its red giant phase.…
We Don’t See Many Planets in Old Triple Star Systems
Why is it important to search for exoplanets in triple star systems and how many can we find there? This…
Astronomers Find a Strange Lopsided Planet
I’ve often stated that planets come in a wide range of sizes but rarely do I find myself stating they…
Biosignatures Can be Made in the Lab. No Life Needed.
Astrobiologists continue to search for their ideal biosignatures. A chemical or collection of chemicals that would give a clear indication…
Could Stars Hotter Than the Sun Still Support Life?
Astronomers have several classifications for stars: the Sun is a G-type star. As you go up the list, the next…
Exoplanets Could be Hiding Their Atmospheres
One of the most intriguing planetary systems is TRAPPIST-1, with several Earth-sized worlds orbiting a red dwarf star, and astronomers…
Iron Winds are Blowing on WASP-76 b
Exoplanets have been discovered with a wide range of environmental conditions. WASP-76b is one of the most extreme with a…
There’s More Water Inside Planets Than We Thought
When you walk across your lawn or down the street, you move on the surface of a surprisingly layered world.…