Exoplanet atmospheres
Measuring the Atmospheres of Other Worlds to See if There are Enough Nutrients for Life
Life on Earth depends on six critical elements: Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorous, and Sulfur. These elements are referred to…
The First Atmospheric Rainbow on an Exoplanet?
Astronomers think they've detected the first-ever rainbow-like "glory effect" on an exoplanet. The observations were made with ESA's Cheops mission,…
The Search for the Perfect Coronagraph to Find Earth 2.0
Studying exoplanets is made more difficult by the light from the host star. Coronagraphs are devices that block out the…
Planetary Atmospheres: Why study them? What can they teach us about finding life beyond Earth?
Universe Today has surveyed the importance of studying impact craters, planetary surfaces, exoplanets, astrobiology, solar physics, and comets, and what…
If Exoplanets Have Lightning, it’ll Complicate the Search for Life
Discovering exoplanets is almost routine now. We've found over 5,500 exoplanets, and the next step is to study their atmospheres…
TRAPPIST-1c Isn’t the Exo-Venus We Were Hoping For. But Don’t Blame the Star
A recent study accepted to The Astrophysical Journal uses computer models to investigate why the exoplanet, TRAPPIST-1c, could not possess…
A Tiny Telescope is Revealing “Hot Jupiter” Secrets
A recent study presented this week at the 2023 meeting of the American Geophysical Union discusses observations of “hot Jupiters”…
ESA’s Ariel Mission is Approved to Begin Construction
We're about to learn a lot more about exoplanets. The ESA has just approved the construction of its Ariel mission,…
JWST Sees Four Exoplanets in a Single System
When the JWST activated its penetrating infrared eyes in July 2022, it faced a massive wish-list of targets compiled by…
An Exoplanet so Hot it has Clouds Made of Quartz
A recent study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters used data obtained by the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) Mid-Infrared…