Explore

Researchers Discover 'Cotton Candy' Planets with Extremely Low Density

Researchers Discover 'Cotton Candy' Planets with Extremely Low Density

An international team led by the University of Oxford has discovered two giant exoplanets, TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, with densities lower than cotton candy. These 'super-puff' planets orbit an F7-type dwarf star in the constellation of Volans, approximately 1,110 light years away. The discovery, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, provides insights into the formation and evolution of such rare planetary types. The planets' low density suggests they may have formed in cold, distant regions of their protoplanetary disc.

Caltech Scientists Discover Evidence of Catastrophic Event on Neptune

Caltech Scientists Discover Evidence of Catastrophic Event on Neptune

Researchers from Caltech have uncovered evidence suggesting a catastrophic event in Neptune's past. Using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the team studied Neptune's rings and moons, finding unique compositions that imply a previous moon system was destroyed. The capture of Triton, Neptune's largest moon, is believed to have caused this destruction. The study, led by Ryleigh Davis, indicates that remnants from this event formed the current inner moons. The findings, published in Science Advances, reveal that Neptune's evolutionary path may be unique, lacking a typical moon system.

Astrobiology Research Highlights Potential for Understanding Earth's Evolution Through Exoplanet Study

Astrobiology Research Highlights Potential for Understanding Earth's Evolution Through Exoplanet Study

Astrobiologist Lisa Kaltenegger, speaking at the Origins 2026 conference in Paris, emphasized the importance of studying exoplanets to gain insights into Earth's past and future. The research focuses on rocky exoplanets around red dwarfs, which are abundant in the universe. These planets, located in habitable zones, could provide clues about planetary evolution and the potential for life. The James Webb Space Telescope is currently prioritizing observations of the Trappist 1 system, which includes potentially habitable planets. Kaltenegger and her team have developed a 'color catalog of life' to identify possible biosignatures on these distant worlds.

NASA Researcher Unveils Hidden Mysteries of Jupiter Through Innovative Photography

NASA Researcher Unveils Hidden Mysteries of Jupiter Through Innovative Photography

NASA researcher Heidi Becker has been capturing unprecedented images of Jupiter using a low-light detector not originally intended for photography. As a co-lead investigator on NASA's Juno mission, Becker has been able to photograph Jupiter's faint rings, the dark sides of its moons, and new types of lightning. The Juno spacecraft, which arrived at Jupiter in 2016, has been instrumental in providing detailed studies of the planet. Becker's work with the Stellar Reference Unit, a star tracker on Juno, has allowed her to capture images in low-light conditions, revealing features that were previously unseen. These include the planet's rings, which are fed by dust from its inner moons, and mysterious craters on its moons. Her innovative use of the star tracker has also led to the discovery of a new type of lightning on Jupiter, occurring above the water clouds where it is too cold for liquid water to exist.

NASA Prepares Roman Space Telescope for August Launch to Enhance Cosmic Data Collection

NASA Prepares Roman Space Telescope for August Launch to Enhance Cosmic Data Collection

NASA has announced that the Roman Space Telescope, a new observatory expected to generate over 500 terabytes of cosmic data annually, has been fueled and is set for launch on August 30, 2026. This telescope, which will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, is nine months ahead of schedule and under budget. The Roman Space Telescope will complement existing telescopes like the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes by providing a wider field of view, allowing it to capture more extensive cosmic phenomena. The fueling process involved hydrazine, a highly efficient but toxic fuel, which is standard for NASA spacecraft. The telescope will be stationed at Lagrange point 2, a stable gravitational point about a million miles from Earth, where it will use its propellant to maintain its orbit and ensure its solar panels face the sun.

Phobos' Unique Orbit Offers Insights into Mars' Tidal Dynamics

Phobos' Unique Orbit Offers Insights into Mars' Tidal Dynamics

Phobos, Mars' larger moon, orbits the planet more than three times per Martian day, rising in the west and setting in the east. This unusual orbit is due to Phobos moving faster than Mars' rotation. The moon completes an orbit in 7 hours and 39.2 minutes, while a Martian day lasts about 24 hours and 39 minutes. This makes Phobos one of the few moons in the solar system with an orbital period shorter than its planet's day. Its proximity to Mars and rapid orbit provide valuable data for understanding the planet's tidal dynamics and internal structure.

How Dysnomia Helped Unlock the Secrets of Eris

How Dysnomia Helped Unlock the Secrets of Eris

Eris, a dwarf planet in the scattered disc of the Solar System, is accompanied by its moon, Dysnomia. This celestial pair offers astronomers a uniq...

Barnard's Star Exoplanets: Potential for Life Under Scrutiny

Barnard's Star Exoplanets: Potential for Life Under Scrutiny

Astronomers have discovered four sub-Earth exoplanets orbiting Barnard's Star, located less than 6 light-years from Earth. This discovery, made using the Gemini North telescope, has sparked interest in the potential habitability of these planets. The exoplanets are smaller than Earth and Venus but larger than Mars. Researchers are examining the chemical composition of Barnard's Star and its planets, focusing on the presence of magnesium, which could influence the planets' ability to retain water. However, the proximity of these planets to their host star and their likely dry conditions pose challenges to their habitability.

Uranus' Unique Tilt Causes Extreme Seasonal Light Cycles

Uranus' Unique Tilt Causes Extreme Seasonal Light Cycles

Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, exhibits a unique axial tilt of approximately 97.8 degrees, causing it to roll around the Sun rather than spin upright like other planets. This extreme tilt results in each pole experiencing 42 years of continuous sunlight followed by 42 years of darkness. The phenomenon is due to Uranus' slow orbit around the Sun, which takes 84 Earth years to complete. The planet's unusual tilt is believed to be the result of a massive collision with an object twice the mass of Earth. Despite its peculiar rotation, Uranus spins relatively quickly, completing a rotation every 17 hours. However, the planet's atmosphere does not respond to sunlight in a straightforward manner, with some atmospheric changes lagging behind the sunlight by only a few years.

NASA's Juno Finds Io's Subsurface Hotter Than Expected

NASA's Juno Finds Io's Subsurface Hotter Than Expected

NASA's Juno spacecraft has discovered that Jupiter's moon Io has subsurface temperatures higher than previously predicted by models. During two recent flybys, Juno detected these elevated temperatures, which are attributed to Io's extreme volcanic activity driven by tidal flexing from Jupiter's gravity. The findings also revealed that large areas of Io's surface are smoother than anticipated. These observations will be used to refine models of how internal heat moves through Io's crust and escapes, providing new insights into the moon's geological processes.

NASA's Juno Reveals Unexpected Heat in Io's Subsurface

NASA's Juno Reveals Unexpected Heat in Io's Subsurface

NASA's Juno spacecraft has discovered that Jupiter's moon Io is hotter beneath its surface than previously predicted by scientific models. During two recent flybys, Juno detected subsurface temperatures that exceeded expectations, despite Io's known extreme volcanic activity. The findings also revealed that large areas of Io's surface are smoother than anticipated. These observations are significant as Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system, with its internal heat driven by tidal forces from Jupiter's gravity. The data collected will help refine models of heat distribution and surface dynamics on Io.

SpaceX Rocket Set to Impact Moon, Offering Scientific Insights

SpaceX Rocket Set to Impact Moon, Offering Scientific Insights

A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage is on a collision course with the Moon, expected to impact near the Einstein crater on August 5, 2026. The rocket, which has been adrift in space since January 2025 after launching Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 2, will hit the lunar surface at approximately 5,400 mph. This event is being tracked by astronomer Bill Gray using Project Pluto software. The impact is anticipated to provide valuable scientific data on lunar subsurface structures and crater formation, similar to previous intentional impacts like NASA's LCROSS mission. Despite the high-speed collision, the event poses no threat to Earth or ongoing lunar operations.