Exoplanets
Latest about Exoplanets
'Forbidden planet' narrowly escaped becoming a snack for a dying star (video)
By Robert Lea published
The discovery of the giant planet Halla suggests that planets close to their stars can survive the rapid expansion seen as they enter their end-of-life red giant phase.
Ultra-hot exoplanet has an atmosphere of vaporized rock
By Robert Lea published
Astronomers have taken a deeper look at the scorching hot giant exoplanet WASP-76b, where iron rains from the sky to determine the other chemical elements that comprise its blistering atmosphere.
New Tatooine-like exoplanet discovered orbiting twin suns. Meet BEBOP-1c.
By Charles Q. Choi published
The discovery of the new planet BEBOP-1c confirms the 2nd-ever known planetary system orbiting twin stars similar to the fictional planet Tatooine of Star Wars fame.
NASA's Kepler telescope discovered 2 mini-Neptune exoplanets just before dying
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Astronomers discovered two mini-Neptunes and a third potential exoplanet in the final data sent home by NASA's Kepler space telescope just before it was decommissioned in late 2018.
Volcanoes may carpet surface of newfound Earth-size exoplanet
By Mike Wall published
A newfound exoplanet that lies 90 light-years from Earth may be studded with active volcanoes, whose emissions could sustain an atmosphere.
2 'super-Earth' exoplanets spotted in habitable zone of nearby star
By Robert Lea published
NASA's TESS spacecraft spotted two super-Earth planets as they crossed the face of their star within its 'habitable zone.'
The 10 most Earth-like exoplanets
By Elizabeth Howell, Ailsa Harvey last updated
Reference Scientists have found nearly 5,000 exoplanets since the first such world was confirmed orbiting a sunlike star in 1995. These ones are most similar to Earth.
'Hycean' exoplanets may not be able to support life after all
By Paul Sutter published
New research suggests that Hycean exoplanets would suffer from a catastrophic runaway greenhouse effect, causing their oceans to boil away.
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