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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Astronomy in Pictures: Black Holes, Baby Stars, and Magnetic "Tunnels"
Astronomers witness the unfurling of a black hole-powered mushroom cloud, a baby super-Jupiter, and a magnetic "tunnel" around the solar system.
Infant “Hot Neptune” Provides Clues to Its Birth
How’d a nice young ice giant end up in such a hot orbit? Scientists investigate the mysterious exoplanet AU Microscopii b.
Astro News: Planet-eating Stars and an Accidental Brown Dwarf
This week in astronomy news: A citizen scientist happens upon a weird, ancient brown dwarf and astronomers discover that Sun-like stars eat their own planets.
Red Dwarfs Aren’t So Bad (For Planets) After All
Red dwarf stars appear to flare preferentially at high latitudes, which might keep their exoplanets habitable instead of hellish.
A Pileup of Perpendicular Planets
In some planetary systems, the direction that a star spins and the direction its planets orbit don’t always line up. A new study explores what we can learn from these nonconformists.
NASA’s Kepler Finds Outcast Earths
Astronomers uncovered four new Earth-mass rogue planet candidates by searching for microlensing events observed with Kepler.
Far-out Gas Giant Exoplanet Puzzles Astronomers
Astronomers have discovered a super-Jupiter orbiting its young star on a surprisingly wide orbit. How did it get there?
Spotting a Faint Escaping Atmosphere
Low-density exoplanets orbiting close to their host stars tend to lose their atmosphere. Now, astronomers can measure how fast it disappears.
This Week in Astronomy Pictures: A Magnetic Whirlpool, Windblown Jets & More
Whether you're here for eye candy or a more cosmic perspective, these astronomy pictures released this week will do the trick.
Rocky Planet Found Around 10 Billion-Year-Old Star
Astronomers have found an Earth-size (but not at all Earth-like) planet around an ancient star that has a nice high view of our galaxy.
Earth-size Planets Are Common, Kepler Retrospective Finds
A new, full analysis of Kepler data finds at least 300 million Earth-size planets in the habitable zone around Sun-like stars in our galaxy.