A new theory for how rocky planets form could explain the origin of so-called "super-Earths"—a class of exoplanets a few times more massive than Earth that are the most abundant type of planet in the galaxy.
Planetary Sciences
Jan 12, 2023
1
592
Poor old Venera 9, the Soviet Union's Venus lander, separated from its orbiter and made a hot, violent descent through the dense Venusian atmosphere on October 22, 1975, landing hard on a circular shield designed to crumple ...
A team of physicists affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. has collaborated on a paper that discusses the possibility of using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) to search for evidence ...
Using the Echelle SPectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (ESPRESSO), astronomers from Switzerland and Austria have discovered a new alien world. The newfound exoplanet orbits a nearby M dwarf ...
An Earth-like planet orbiting an M dwarf—the most common type of star in the universe—appears to have no atmosphere at all. This discovery could cause a major shift in the search for life on other planets.
Astrobiology
Oct 21, 2022
10
750
An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of two new "super-Earth" exoplanets orbiting a nearby late-type M dwarf star. The newfound alien worlds, designated LP 890-9 b and LP 890-9 c, are slightly larger ...
New climate models have found that the amount and location of land on a planet's surface can significantly impact its habitability. Astronomers have identified substantial differences in surface temperature, sea ice and water ...
Astrobiology
Jul 11, 2022
0
306
Earth's moon is vitally important in making Earth the planet we know today: The moon controls the length of the day and ocean tides, which affect the biological cycles of lifeforms on our planet. The moon also contributes ...
Planetary Sciences
Feb 1, 2022
1
675
Researchers have identified the first signature of a magnetic field surrounding a planet outside of our solar system. Earth's magnetic field acts as a shield against energetic particles from the sun known as the solar wind. ...
Astronomy
Dec 21, 2021
3
3530
The asteroid Vesta is the second largest asteroid in our Solar System. With a diameter of about 330 miles, it orbits the sun between the planets Mars and Jupiter.
Astronomy
Aug 31, 2021
10
4667
