SUNSET: 
Searching for Exoplanets Around HL Tau
When astronomers went searching for the planets that must exist around HL Tau, they came up empty — and future searches may not fare much better.
A Dusty Mystery Around AU Microscopii
Unexplained ripples have been found racing through a dusty disk.
Direct-Image Discovery of a Young Jupiter
The Gemini Planet Imager has discovered its first exoplanet, a young Jupiter still glowing with the heat of its formation.
At the IAU: New Dwarf Galaxy Neighbors & Dark-Sky Sanctuaries
As the IAU General Assembly in Hawaii'i draws to a close, the results were still coming in: a new bevy of dwarf galaxies discovered around the Milky Way, the celebration of the first Dark-Sky Sanctuary, and a new directly imaged exoplanet to boot.
Sunspots and Climate Change, Naming Exoplanets, and More from the IAU
Do sunspots affect climate change? How can you name an exoplanet? Here are the latest results from the world's largest astronomy conference.
Closest Rocky Exoplanet Discovered
Super-Earth HD 219134b is just 21 light-years away, orbiting a nearby orange star that you can see from your backyard.
Microlensing Exoplanet Confirmed
Astronomers have confirmed the existence of an exoplanet found via microlensing — the first time they’ve been able to successfully follow up on this method.
Kepler Discovers Earth’s Closest Cousin Yet
The Kepler team announced today the discovery of Kepler-452b, an Earth-size planet in the “goldilocks” zone around a Sun-like star. But is it Earthlike?
Planet with a Comet Tail
Astronomers have confirmed that the planet Gliese 436b seems to be trailing a gigantic, comet-like cloud of hydrogen.
Searching for Exoplanet Stratospheres
Researchers identify titanium oxide as a potential molecule at work in exoplanet atmospheres.
Kapteyn b: Exoplanet or Illusion?
Recent research casts doubt on whether nearby Kapteyn b, a supposed super-Earth circling in its star’s habitable zone, is a planet at all.
Hot Jupiters: Cloudy or Clear?
New analysis of Kepler observations shows that hot Jupiters' temperatures might predict their weather report.
Volcanoes on a Super-Earth?
Observations of nearby super-Earth 55 Cancri e reveal huge, as-yet unexplained changes in the exoplanet’s infrared emission, and volcanoes are one possible cause.
Name the Exoworlds
Here's your chance to name an exoplanet, in a process recognized and officiated by the International Astronomical Union. Register your astronomy club or organization by June 1st!
Gap Reveals Potential Exomoon
Astronomers have confirmed that the star J1407 seems to have a companion with a gigantic, gap-ridden ring, inside which an “exomoon” might be forming.
Exploring Exoplanet Origin Stories
Citizen scientists are exploring exoplanets’ birthplaces, classifying more than 1 million infrared sources and finding 37 disk candidates (so far) for follow-up study.
Ancient Five-Planet System Found
Astronomers have potentially confirmed a five-planet exoplanet system around an 11-billion-year-old star in our galaxy.
Do Atmospheres Spin Worlds to Habitability?
The best place to look for nearby Earth-size planets are around the smallest, coolest stars. New research shows that any exoplanets tightly circling their stars might have a better chance of being habitable than previously thought.
The Future of Exoplanet Hunts
As the Kepler mission shifts into its new mode of operations, multiple new searches for exoplanets are in the works.
Spotting Comet Dust Around Alien Suns
Have you ever spotted the glow of a “false dawn”? Now astronomers have spotted a similar zodiacal light around nine nearby stars.
