plato
Could the ESA’s PLATO Mission Find Earth 2.0?
Currently, 5,788 exoplanets have been confirmed in 4,326 star systems, while thousands more candidates await confirmation. So far, the vast…
Do Planets Have the Raw Ingredients for Life? The Answer is in their Stars
Finding planets that already have, or have the ingredients for intelligent life is a real challenge. It is exciting that…
Exomoons Defy Discovery
For a long time, we wondered if other stars hosted planets like the Sun does. Finally, in the 1990s, we…
Ariane 6 Fires its Engines, Simulating a Flight to Space
The ESA recently conducted a test fire of its next-generation Ariane 6 rocket, a dress rehearsal for its first test…
The PLATO Mission Could be the Most Successful Planet Hunter Ever
A new study estimates how many exoplanets the ESA's PLATO mission will discover during its four-year run, with encouraging results!
1 in 10 Red Giants are Covered in Spots, and They Rotate Surprisingly Quickly
Sunspots are common on our Sun. These darker patches are cooler than their surroundings, and they're caused by spikes in…
Here’s How You Can Help With Searching Out Planet Nurseries Beyond The Solar System
With a big universe around us, where the heck do you point your telescope when looking for planets? Bigger observatories…
Is Our Solar System Weird?
Is our Solar System normal? Or is it weird? How does the Solar System fit within the strange star systems…
New Planet-Hunting Telescope To Join Search For Alien Earths In 2024
How could life arise in young solar systems? We're still not sure of the answer on Earth, even for something…