Extrasolar Planets
Exoplanet Could Be More Earth-like Than Previously Thought
[/caption] In June of 2008, astronomers announced the finding of one of the smallest exoplanets yet around a normal star…
Ground-Based Telescopes Observe Atmospheres of Exoplanets
[/caption] For the first time, astronomers have measured light emitted from extrasolar planets around sun-like stars using ground-based telescopes. The…
Viewing Earth as an Extra-Solar Planet
[/caption] What if another civilization had telescopes and spacecraft better than ours? Would Earth be detectable from another planet a…
Hunt is on for “Killer” Third Star in BD+20 307 Binary System
[/caption] In September, it was announced the Chandra X-ray Observatory had spotted something very odd about BD+20 307. The binary…
Atmospheres of Super Earths
[/caption] We stand on the edge of the next phase of planetary discovery. Hundreds of massive, Jupiter-like planets have been…
The Case of the Disappearing Planetary Disks
[/caption] After examining the 5-million-year old star cluster NGC 2362, astronomers say that planets like Jupiter must form quickly because…
Astronomers Now Looking For Exomoons Around Exoplanets
[/caption]It looks like astronomers have already grown tired of taking direct observations of exoplanets, been there, done that. So they…
Time Magazine Top 10 Scientific Discoveries of 2008: Space and Physics Dominate
[/caption]2008 has been an astounding year of scientific discovery. To celebrate this fact, Time Magazine has listed the "Top 10…
Carbon Dioxide Detected on Exoplanet HD 189733b
[/caption]The Hubble Space Telescope has detected carbon dioxide on a planet orbiting another star. The star in question is HD…
Students Find Exoplanet
[/caption] Three undergraduate students doing a research project discovered an extrasolar planet. The planet is about five times as massive…