exoplanet

Astronomers sifting through data from a NASA planet-hunting satellite have hit the jackpot: a common type of planet 131 light-years away called TOI-1759b, with an extremely uncommon story to tell. Thanks to its close proximity to its…

Planet XO-3b, a hot Jupiter on an eccentric orbit. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Observations of a hot Jupiter may also advance our understanding of planet origins and evolution. Imagine being in a place where the winds are so strong that…

Among the thousands of known exoplanets, there are some that are very odd. Take, for example, the exoplanet known as WASP-103b. It’s a large planet with a mass about 1.5 times that of Jupiter, but 103b is so close to its star it makes a…

The James Webb Space Telescope, Penn State exoplanet astronomer Alexander Wolszczan says, is built on a foundation of past data and future expectations — much of what the massive space telescope will reveal combines both what scientists…

This illustration of the newly forming exoplanet PDS 70b shows how material may be falling onto the giant world as it builds up mass. By employing Hubble’s ultraviolet light (UV) sensitivity, researchers got a unique look at radiation…

With a nod to B.J. Thomas' 1969 pop hit, "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," it appears that no matter where you are in the universe being pelted with liquid droplets originating from alien skies, the size and structure of…

Astronomers have found a super-Earth around a nearby star that will be perfect for future observations to determine what’s in its atmosphere. This is a very cool and important find. The star is called Gliese 486, and it’s a…