Webb's Exoplanet Data Are Almost Too Good
A new study urges caution in interpreting the chemical fingerprints that Webb is collecting of alien worlds.
Webb Captures an Exoplanet, a Brown Dwarf — and a Giant Tarantula
New Webb images reveal the space telescope's first exoplanet, first brown dwarf, and a stellar nursery teeming with activity.
Webb Reveals Jupiter, Puffy Planet, and Galactic Maelstroms in a New Light
Round out your week with these stunning views of the universe from the James Webb Space telescope.
When Planets Collect Comets
What kind of planets are likely to ensnare comets coming in from the icy outer reaches of a planetary system?
What We See in the First Science Images from the James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope released its first science images today. Here's what these images show us.
What the James Webb Space Telescope's First Year Will Reveal
The James Webb Space Telescope's first year of observations promises to reveal exoplanet atmospheres and surfaces, infant galaxies, and maybe even the first black holes.
Citizen Science: Projects & Collaboration
Citizen Scientists Detect Dusty Disks
Disk Detective, a citizen science project dedicated identifying planet-forming disks around young stars, reports their latest results.
A Strange White Dwarf with a Chaotic Past
New observations show that both rocky and icy worlds fell onto a white dwarf, indicating past orbital chaos in the system.
How to Image an Exoplanet with Just a Few Pixels
Using Earth as an example, astronomers are testing a new technique that could image rocky exoplanets without resolving them.
Hot and Cold: Jupiters Reveal Formation and Chemistry of Exotic Worlds
At the extremes: A hot Jupiter reveals extreme chemistry on a sizzling world, and a cold Jupiter sheds light on giant planet formation.
“Lucky” Images Reveal Dusty Debris Around a Star 330 Light-years Away
The transit of a large cloud of protoplanetary rubble across the face of a young star gave the Spitzer Space Telescope our best view yet of planetary evolution in action.
First Look at an Unusual Exoplanet’s Atmosphere
AAS Nova reports on a "super-puff" exoplanet that's nearly 15 times less dense than Jupiter.
Largest Molecule Yet Found in Planet-forming Disk
The detection of a complex organic molecule in the disk around an infant star suggests prebiotic chemistry starts in the space between stars.
New Planet Discovered Around Proxima Centauri, Star Nearest the Sun
A new instrument on a powerful telescope has enabled astronomers to discover another planet around our nearest stellar neighbor.
Astronomers Watch the Making of a Super-Earth
Gaseous mini-Neptunes may become rocky super-Earths when they lose their atmospheres. Now, astronomers have caught that process in action.
Exoplanet Hunter Racks up 5,000 “Objects of Interest”
Since its 2018 launch, the unassuming TESS satellite has found 175 confirmed exoplanets (so far) among 5,000 “objects of interest.”
Needle in the Haystack: New Exomoon Candidate Found
Astronomers may have found a second Neptune-size exomoon hidden in the retired Kepler space telescope’s data.
Astronomy in Pictures: Largest 3D Map of Our Universe and a Stellar Intruder
This week astronomers have announced the completion of the largest 3D map of galaxies across the cosmos, plus exquisite radio observations show what happens when a stellar intruder interrupts planet formation.
Giant Planet Imaged Around Massive Stars
Astronomers have imaged a giant planet around a massive pair of stars, a discovery that challenges our notions of how planets form.
Did We Find a Planet in Another Galaxy?
Astronomers using an innovative method have detected the signal of what could be an extragalactic exoplanet. But confirming its existence will be difficult.