Planetary Formation
Hundreds of Free-Floating Planets Found in the Orion Nebula
It appears that rogue planets – free floating worlds that aren’t gravitationally bound to a parent star – might be…
This Exoplanet is Probably a Solid Ball of Metal
We can't understand nature without understanding its range. That's apparent in exoplanet science and in our theories of planetary formation.…
JWST Sees Newly Forming Planets Swimming in Water
One big question about Earth’s formation is, where did all the water come from? New data from the James Webb…
Some Star Systems Create a Planet Sandwich
A recent study presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 2023 (NAM2023) examines a newly discovered planetary formation theory that challenges…
JWST Looks at the Atmosphere of a Stormy, Steamy Mini-Neptune
Just because there's no Mini-Neptune in our Solar System doesn't mean they're not common. They appear to be widespread throughout…
Planets Might Protect their Water Until their Star Settles Down
Creating rocky planets is a messy, dangerous, hot business. Planetesimals accrete together, which creates heat and pressure on the newborn…
TESS Shows That Even Small Stars Can Host Giant Planets
Can low-mass stars play host to giant, Jupiter-sized planets? Theories of planet formation suggest that it's highly unlikely. But a…
Watch a Baby Planet Carve Out a Home for Itself
Astronomers have detected a small, compact source embedded in a gap in the disk surrounding a young star. They believe…
How Growing Giant Planets Fight for Food
A new study has shown that in order to grow more than one giant planet in the same solar system,…
Most Exoplanets Suffer Worse Space Weather Than We Do
We have it relatively easy on the Earth. Our Sun is relatively calm. The space weather environment in the solar…