planets
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…
One in Ten Stars Ate a Jupiter (Or Bigger)
In space, cataclysmic events happen to stars all the time. Some explode as supernovae, some get torn apart by black…
Baby Gas Giants Cast Shadows on Their Siblings
A team of astronomers has caught glimpses of gas giants forming around a very young star. The nascent giants are…
Mini-Neptunes can Lose gas and Turn Into Super-Earths
Can one type of planet become another? Can a mini-Neptune lose its atmosphere and become a super-Earth? Astronomers have found…
Massive Rocky Planets Probably Don’t Have big Moons
The Moon has orbited Earth since the Solar System's early days. Anyone who's ever spent time at the ocean can't…
A Second Generation of Planets can Form Around a Dying Star
When young stars coalesce out of a cloud of molecular hydrogen, a disk of leftover material called a protoplanetary disk…
Astronomers Find a Planet That Orbits its Star in Just 16 HOURS!
Mercury is the speed champion in our Solar System. It orbits the Sun every 88 days, and its average speed…
Here are Hubble’s 2021 Photos of the Outer Solar System
If we had to rely solely on spacecraft to learn about the outer planets, we wouldn't be making great progress.…
In the Far Future, Stellar Flybys Will Completely Dismantle the Solar System
Consumption and disintegration. Next time you want to be the life of the party—if you're hanging out with cool nerds…
A Rogue Earth-Mass Planet Has Been Discovered Freely Floating in the Milky Way Without a Star
If a solar system is a family, then some planets leave home early. Whether they want to or not. Once…