SUNSET: 
Planets Appear More Massive Than Disks Where They Form
Infant worlds might gobble up dust quickly, the interstellar environment might feed protoplanetary disks, or planet-building dust could be hiding in plain sight. Although disks of gas and dust around young stars are a necessary precursor to planet formation, an expanded survey of stars in our Galaxy confirms earlier doubts…
Hubble Boosts Case for Exomoon
Exoplanet Kepler-1625b might harbor a moon the size of Neptune—potentially the first confirmed exomoon—but researchers urge caution.
Super-Earth Discovered in (Fictional) Vulcan System
Thirty years ago, Gene Roddenberry, of Star Trek fame, and three astronomers made the case that the orange-hued star 40 Eridani A ought to host Vulcan, Mr. Spock's home. Now, a robotic survey has discovered a planet around that very star.
Astronomers "Weigh" Beta Pictoris b
Astronomers have a precise new mass measurement for Beta Pictoris b, a young gas giant still in the throes of formation 63 light-years from Earth.
Iron and Titanium Found in Ultrahot Jupiter
New observations provide solid evidence of heavy metals in a gas giant exoplanet’s atmosphere.
Planet Formation Caught in the Act
A team of scientists has captured evidence that PDS 70b, the first directly imaged instance of early planet formation, is actively accreting material, and they’ve measured the rate at which it’s growing.
Auroras Discovered Around Rogue Brown Dwarf
Astronomers have discovered auroras around a set of brown dwarfs — including one that wanders the galaxy by itself — indicating surprisingly strong magnetic fields in these failed stars.
When Giant Planets Orbit Evolved Stars
A new study explores the impacts of stars that age past the main sequence and evolve into red giants on the planets orbiting around them by looking at the orbits of gas giants closely circling evolved stars.
First Confirmed Image of Newborn Planet
Astronomers using a new instrument on the Very Large Telescope in Chile have directly imaged a newborn planet.
60-Second Astro News: 3D View of Star-Forming Cloud & A Cloud-Free Exoplanet
This week in astronomy news: Researchers discover the first completely cloud-free exoplanet and a star-forming cloud reveals its structure through vibrations.
Scientists Spot Helium Escaping Giant Planet's Atmosphere
Hubble observations reveal a Jupiter-size exoplanet losing its atmosphere in a system 200 light-years away.
60-Second Astro News: Tech Advances for Exoplanet Hunters
A mini-satellite demonstrates exoplanet-hunting technology, a superconducting camera tests its abilities to image exoplanets, and bad news for life on Proxima Centauri b.
Successful Launch for NASA’s TESS Exoplanet Mission
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) launched successfully on April 18th at 6:51 p.m. EDT aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to survey the entire sky for new worlds.
ARIEL: Next-Decade Exoplanet Mission Selected
The European Space Agency's ARIEL mission will seek to analyze the atmospheric composition and true nature of distant worlds.
The Fate of Exomoons when Planets Scatter
Planet interactions are thought to be common as solar systems are first forming and settling down. A new study suggests that these close encounters could have a significant impact on the moons of giant exoplanets — and they may generate a large population of free-floating exomoons.
An Eccentric Planet Skims a Giant Star
As part of a major survey of evolved stars, scientists have discovered the most eccentric planet known to orbit a giant. What can we learn from this unusual object before it’s eventually consumed by its host?
A Closer Look at the Worlds of TRAPPIST-1
Two new studies of the seven planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1 shed light on how these worlds formed and what they look like now.
A New Definition for the Biggest Planets?
Scientists now understand where large planets stop and small brown dwarfs begin — a discovery that redefines the word “planet.”
Extra Stars Might Downsize Exoplanets
Follow-up studies of candidates planetary systems found by NASA’s Kepler mission suggest that companion stars make some worlds appear smaller than they really are.
Ringed Disks Don’t Always Mean Planets
Astronomers presenting at the winter American Astronomical Society meeting caution that the features often pointed to as evidence of growing natal planets could form on their own.
