https://phys.org/space-news/planetary-sciences/ en-us Planetary science and exoplanets exploration news stories and features from Phys.org Elements essential to life, such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur, were "delivered" to Earth and the moon during the early stages of the solar system via asteroids and comets impacting their surfaces. These exogenous materials may have provided the chemical building blocks necessary for the origin and early evolution of life on Earth. But extensive geological activity and biological processes on Earth have largely erased the direct records of these early inputs on our planet. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-mission-samples-reveal-exogenous-evolves.html Astrobiology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:40:03 EDT news695047248 Observations conducted with the Subaru Telescope and its first-generation wide-field camera, Suprime-Cam, have revealed new insights into the relationship between the color and size of Jupiter Trojan asteroids. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-subaru-telescope-jupiter-trojan-asteroids.html Astronomy Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:40:03 EDT news695045701 On Earth, extreme solar activity often appears as beautiful, benign auroras. But venturing beyond the safety of the Earth's magnetic field, one faces the full brunt of a temperamental star that can suddenly erupt with flares and coronal mass ejections. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-medieval-japanese-poetry-trees-elucidate.html Astronomy Thu, 09 Apr 2026 23:00:02 EDT news694943326 Fast solar winds originating from the sun can have direct impacts on Earth—disrupting systems like GPS, aviation, electrical grids, and satellite and radio communications. A new paper by New Mexico State University astronomy graduate student Khagendra Katuwal examines the connection between coronal holes and solar wind streams, helping improve our understanding of how the sun's magnetic structure influences space weather. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-student-coronal-holes-space-weather.html Astronomy Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:00:01 EDT news694870433 The two largest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, also have the largest satellite systems, or the most moons. At present, Jupiter's reported moon count stands at more than 100 moons, and along with its many rings, Saturn has more than 280 reported moons. Not all these moons are equal, however. Jupiter's moon family has four large members, including the largest moon in the solar system, Ganymede, while Saturn's family is dominated by one large moon, Titan, the solar system's second largest. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-jupiter-cultivated-large-moons-saturn.html Astronomy Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:20:04 EDT news694772744 Water likely accumulated on the moon slowly over billions of years, rather than during one big event, according to a new study by an international team of scientists. The researchers, including Paul Hayne, a planetary scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, have published their findings in Nature Astronomy. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-moon-narrows.html Planetary Sciences Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:03 EDT news694708202 Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has discovered a new "hot Jupiter" exoplanet. The newfound alien world, designated TOI-7169 b, orbits a metal-poor star, which is rare among exoplanets. The finding was detailed in a paper published March 26 on the arXiv pre-print server. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-hot-jupiter-orbiting-metal-poor.html Astronomy Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:40:01 EDT news694687713 A team of US astronomers has carried out one of the deepest analyses to date of a sample from the asteroid Bennu, revealing new details about how water and organic material interacted during the earliest stages of the solar system. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-bennu-sample-reveals-newly-asteroid.html Astronomy Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:00:03 EDT news694252964 Designed to hunt for new alien worlds, NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has serendipitously observed the rising outburst of a black hole X-ray binary known as AT 2019wey. The observations, which may help us better understand the nature of this system, were presented March 25 on the arXiv pre-print server. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tess-black-hole-ray-binary.html Astronomy Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:20:01 EDT news694337723 The interiors of ice giant planets like Uranus and Neptune could be home to a previously unknown state of matter, according to new computational simulations by Carnegie's Cong Liu and Ronald Cohen. Their work, published in Nature Communications, predicts that a quasi-one-dimensional superionic state of carbon hydride exists under the extreme pressures and temperatures found deep inside these outer solar system bodies. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-depths-neptune-uranus-superionic.html Planetary Sciences Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:00:01 EDT news694435981 Using preliminary data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, scientists have discovered over 11,000 new asteroids. The data were confirmed by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center (MPC), making this the largest single batch of asteroid discoveries submitted in the past year. The discoveries were made using data from Rubin's early optimization surveys and offer a powerful preview of the observatory's transformative impact on solar system science. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-early-vera-rubin-observatory-reveals.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:40:04 EDT news694359721 The search for life on Mars involves the efforts of scientists from many different disciplines. An important aspect of that search is to study Martian sedimentary rocks for information about the planet's environment when it is likely that the surface environment hosted abundant water and therefore more habitable, around three to four billion years ago. Now, research published in the journal Geology shows evidence of an intense sandstorm that swept through Mars's Gale crater over three billion years ago. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-serendipitous-discovery-martian-ripple-reveals.html Astrobiology Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:10:01 EDT news694363681 Scientists have discovered that a highly unusual giant planet—sometimes called "forbidden"—could have an atmosphere with fewer heavier elements than its host star. University of Birmingham astrophysicist Dr. Anjali Piette worked with an international research team to analyze James Webb Space Telescope data from the exoplanet TOI-5205 b. This is a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a star about four times the size of Jupiter and about 40% the mass of the sun. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-giant-forbidden-planet-orbiting-small.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:40:01 EDT news694352942 Astronomers have discovered that a giant planet, WASP-189b, echoes the composition of its host star, providing the first direct evidence of a foundational concept in astrobiology. This discovery was achieved through the first-ever simultaneous measurement of gaseous magnesium and silicon in a planet's atmosphere. The team used the Gemini South telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory. The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-gemini-south-link-composition-exoplanets.html Astrobiology Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:40:07 EDT news694274600 In 2024, NASA's Perseverance rover found surprising levels of Nickel in the Martian bedrock of an ancient river channel, called Neretva Vallis, which flowed into the Jezero crater. A new study, published in Nature Communications, has taken a closer look at the data collected from the region and researchers are seeing what could be remnants of ancient Martian life. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-high-nickel-martian-bedrock-potential.html Astrobiology Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:20:09 EDT news694274606 Saturn's magnetic shield is asymmetrical compared to Earth's, suggests a new study involving University College London (UCL) researchers, and this is likely a result of its fast rotation coupled with the heavy material it pulls around it. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-saturn-magnetic-lopsided-earth.html Planetary Sciences Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:00:01 EDT news694164301 A Southwest Research Institute-led study found that protons and heavy ions react differently to solar magnetic reconnection events, revealing a more complex magnetic engine powering the solar wind. Magnetic reconnection converts magnetic energy into explosive kinetic energy, powering solar events and causing space weather that impacts Earth. Magnetic reconnection energizes protons and heavy ions, sending them shooting out from the sun at high speeds. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-nasa-probe-complex-sun-magnetic.html Astronomy Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:40:03 EDT news694189621 Meteor impacts may have helped spark life on Earth, creating hot, chemical-rich environments where the first living cells could take shape, according to research integrated by a recent Rutgers University graduate. Shea Cinquemani, who earned her bachelor's degree from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences in May 2025, has published a paper based on research she started during the spring of her senior year. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-impacts-meteors-life-earth-hydrothermal.html Astrobiology Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:20:03 EDT news694179181 Whenever humans arrive on Mars, they're going to find it a difficult place to exist. Mars is cold, with an average surface temperature of -55°C; temperatures can plunge to -125°C with dust storms lasting months; its atmosphere is very thin and almost all carbon dioxide; and all the water is frozen and mixed with ice made of CO2. Oh, and solar radiation will be hazardous on Mars' surface since the planet has no ozone layer to block ultraviolet radiation, especially so during solar flares. Disneyland it is not. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-terraforming-mars-aerosols-planet.html Space Exploration Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:01 EDT news694167150 Planetary surface missions currently operate cautiously. On Mars, communication delays between Earth and rovers (typically between four and 22 minutes), as well as data transfer constraints due to uplink and downlink limitations, force scientists to plan operations in advance. Rovers are designed for energy efficiency and safety, and to move slowly across hazardous terrain. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-legged-robot-resource-prospecting-moon.html Astrobiology Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:01 EDT news694078201 Earth and the moon may look very different today, but they formed under similar conditions in space. In fact, a dominant hypothesis says that the early Earth was hit by a Mars-sized object, and it was this giant impact that spun off material to form the moon. But unlike Earth, the moon lacks plate tectonics and an atmosphere capable of reshaping its surface and recycling elements such as oxygen over billions of years. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-titanium-apollo-uncover-moon-early.html Astrobiology Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:40:02 EDT news694089962 Planetary scientists have long debated where the material that formed Earth comes from. Despite its location in the inner solar system, they consider it likely that 6–40% of this material must have come from the outer solar system, i.e., beyond Jupiter. For a long time, material from the outer solar system was considered necessary to bring volatile components such as water to Earth. Accordingly, there must also have been an exchange of material between the outer and inner solar systems during the formation of Earth. But is that really true? https://phys.org/news/2026-03-earth-material-exclusively-solar-planetary.html Planetary Sciences Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:00:03 EDT news694087382 Astronomers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and elsewhere report the discovery of a binary system consisting of two brown dwarfs undergoing stable mass transfer. The detection of the system, designated ZTF J1239+8347, was made with the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and is detailed in a paper published March 18 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ztf-mass-brown-dwarf-binary.html Astronomy Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:00:03 EDT news693734619 Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has discovered an extrasolar planet orbiting TOI-4616—a nearby M-dwarf star. The newfound alien world, which received designation TOI-4616 b, is slightly larger than Earth. The finding was reported in a research paper published March 11 on the arXiv pre-print server. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-tess-earth-sized-planet-orbiting.html Astronomy Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:50:01 EDT news693564728 Researchers at Northumbria University have used the most powerful space telescope ever built to answer one of the longest-standing puzzles in planetary science—why does Saturn appear to spin at a different speed depending on how you measure it? The findings, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, reveal for the first time the complex patterns of heat and electrically charged particles in Saturn's aurora, and show that the entire system is driven by a self-sustaining feedback loop powered by the planet's own northern lights. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-jwst-decades-mystery-saturn.html Astronomy Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:20:01 EDT news693831956 Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have found evidence that the spinning of a small comet slowed and then reversed its direction of rotation, offering a dramatic example of how volatile activity can affect the spin and physical evolution of small bodies in the solar system. This is the first time researchers have observed evidence of a comet reversing its spin. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-hubble-reversal-tiny-comet.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:20:02 EDT news693746521 High-energy particles called galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) bombard unprotected objects in space, often causing damage. Earth, however, is protected by its magnetic field, which creates a protective shell around the planet that can deflect dangerous charged particles, like GCRs. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-earth-magnetic-field-previously-undetected.html Space Exploration Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:40:01 EDT news693745041 NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope have teamed up to capture new views of Saturn, revealing the planet in strikingly different ways. Observing in complementary wavelengths of light, the two space observatories provide scientists with a richer, more layered understanding of the gas giant's atmosphere. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-webb-hubble-comprehensive-view-saturn.html Astronomy Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:20:03 EDT news693674762 Astronomers at the University of Warwick have validated over 100 exoplanets, including 31 newly detected planets, using a new artificial intelligence tool applied to data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a space mission that monitors the sky for the subtle dimming of starlight caused when planets pass in front of their host stars. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ai-approach-uncovers-dozens-hidden.html Astronomy Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:00:02 EDT news693564763 Astronomers have observed two planets forming in the disk around a young star named WISPIT 2. Having previously detected one planet, the team has now employed European Southern Observatory (ESO) telescopes to confirm the presence of another. These observations, and the unique structure of the disk around the star, indicate that the WISPIT 2 system could resemble a young solar system. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-solar-planets-disk-young-star.html Planetary Sciences Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:00:06 EDT news693500821