SUNSET: 
Alignment of a Star and a Planet
Unlike in our solar system, not all planets orbit in the same direction as their stars rotate. A nearby planetary system may reveal how these orbits form.
Three Nearby Exoplanets to Explore
A trio of nearby exoplanets make tempting new targets for next-gen telescopes.
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.
Two Exocomet Populations Around Beta Pictoris
The comets in the infant planetary system around the star Beta Pictoris fall into two distinct families, with one reminiscent of the solar system’s Kreutz sungrazers.
Exoplanet Portraits: A Tale of New Instruments
Exoplanet missions are shifting their goals from counting to characterizing, with multiple instruments coming online to directly image these alien worlds.
Exoplanet Out for a Quick Spin
Astronomers have used a new technique to measure — for the first time — the spin of an extrasolar planet.
A Chaotic Planet-Forming Disk
A new map of Beta Pictoris reveals an asymmetric clump of carbon monoxide likely produced in cometary collisions. It provides a rare glimpse at the chaotic birth of a planetary system.
Another Direct Exoplanet Image
A tiny, glowing dot apparently orbits just inside the inner edge of the dusty debris disk surrounding the star Beta Pictoris, 64 light-years away.