First-Ever Measurement of Floating Exoplanet’s Mass by Astronomers

Posted on January 6, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Gravitational microlensing surveys have unveiled populations of free-floating planets. Although their masses haven’t been directly measured due to distance-related challenges, statistics suggest that many of these rogue planets possess less mass than Jupiter. Recently, astronomers identified a groundbreaking microlensing event, termed KMT-2024-BLG-0792/OGLE-2024-BLG-0516. This event involved an exoplanet with approximately 21.9% of Jupiter’s mass, situated 9,785 light-years (3,000 parsecs) from the Milky Way’s center.

An artist’s impression of a free-floating exoplanet. Image credit: Sci.News.

Traditionally, planets are linked to stars, but research indicates that many traverse the galaxy independently.

Known as free-floating or rogue planets, these celestial bodies lack stellar companions.

Due to their low light emissions, they are primarily detected through their gravitational influences, a technique known as microlensing.

A significant challenge of this discovery method is determining the distances to these planets, complicating mass measurements.

This has left much of the data regarding these solitary objects speculative.

In a recent study, Dr. Subo Dong from Peking University and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and collaborators discovered a new free-floating planet, KMT-2024-BLG-0792/OGLE-2024-BLG-0516, via a brief microlensing event.

In contrast to prior approaches, they utilized a novel strategy by observing the microlensing phenomenon concurrently from Earth and space, leveraging multiple ground-based surveys alongside ESA’s Gaia space telescope.

Variations in the timing of light captured by these different locations facilitated measurements of microlens parallax, enabling researchers to calculate the planet’s mass and position through finite source modeling.

“Based on comparisons with the statistical characteristics of other microlensing events and simulation predictions, we conclude that this object didn’t originate as an isolated entity (like a brown dwarf) but likely formed within a protoplanetary disk (like a planet),” the astronomers noted.

“Subsequent dynamic processes likely ejected it from its formation site, resulting in a free-floating object.”

For further details, check out the study published in this month’s Science: paper.

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Subo Dong et al. 2026. Microlensing of free-floating planets caused by heavy objects in Saturn’s vicinity. Science 391 (6780): 96-99; doi: 10.1126/science.adv9266

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists Discover Shifting Orbits of Exoplanets – Sciworthy

Posted on November 10, 2025 by

Astronomers are particularly interested in understanding how the orbits of planets around other stars evolve. In an idealized model, orbits consist of two uniform spheres revolving around a common center of mass. However, the reality is often more intricate. These deviations from ideal models provide insights into these systems, shedding light on their geometric arrangements in the universe and the potential presence of unseen companion planets.

Recently, a team of astronomers carried out a large-scale survey of Exoplanet TrES-1 b. The researchers selected TrES-1 b to analyze its orbital changes over the last two decades, since its discovery in 2004, because it belongs to the category of exoplanets that are relatively straightforward to observe: hot Jupiters. Hot Jupiters are gas giants similar in size to our solar system’s Jupiter, but they orbit their host stars at much closer distances, sometimes completing a revolution in just a few days. TrES-1 b orbits a star with just under 90% of the mass of our Sun every three days. This brief orbital period enables astronomers to make numerous observations, facilitating the measurement of orbital changes.

The research team initially gathered data on how much light TrES-1 b blocks from Earth’s viewpoint as it transits in front of its host star, referred to as the transit light curve. Most of the optical data originated from ground-based telescopes, inclusive of contributions from citizen scientists. Additionally, they sourced relevant data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Spitzer Space Telescope. This data allowed them to accurately measure the time it took for TrES-1 b to complete its orbit.

They also discovered that another group of astronomers had employed Spitzer’s infrared array camera. Furthermore, they identified four additional studies from 2004 to 2016 that thoroughly measured how the light from TrES-1 b’s host star was affected by its orbital dynamics, specifically through radial velocity. By combining transit light curves, eclipses, and radial velocity data, astronomers gained a holistic understanding of TrES-1 b, which they then compared with statistical models to interpret its long-term behavior.

The research team sought to fit five distinct models to their observations of TrES-1 b to determine which best represented the data. The first model represented a planet with a constant circular orbit, followed by one with a fixed and slightly elliptical orbit, representing an eccentric orbit. The third model employed a circular orbit that gradually decreases in size, termed decaying orbit. The fourth variant implemented a damped and slightly eccentric orbit, while the final model featured a subtly eccentric orbit that also progresses directionally in relation to the star over time, known as precession.

The researchers concluded that, irrespective of the data subsets used, the most plausible explanation for their findings is that TrES-1 b follows an eccentric precessional orbit. They also noted that the damped trajectory model offered a superior fit compared to the steady trajectory models. This implies that while the changes in the exoplanet’s orbit are evident, the data does not support any hypotheses suggesting no actual alterations in its trajectory.

The researchers further elaborated that the rate at which the exoplanet’s orbit is changing indicates the gravitational influence of another planet within the system. They estimated that this hypothetical planet could be no larger than 25% the size of Jupiter and would have an orbital period of no more than 7 days. However, they noted that there was no direct evidence for such a planet in their data, apart from its inferred impact on TrES-1 b. They did discover another exoplanet in the system, termed TrES-1 c, but its wide eccentric orbit is unlikely to account for the changes observed in TrES-1 b’s orbit.

In conclusion, the researchers asserted that a multifaceted methodology to investigate the orbital timings of exoplanets unveils dynamics that may be overlooked by singular observations and models. They advocated for further studies of the long-term behaviors of exoplanets, necessitating extensive monitoring, more precise radial velocity measurements, and complex simulations of multiple celestial bodies within the gravitational system.

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Astronomers Reveal Aging Stars Could Be Devouring Nearby Giant Exoplanets

Posted on November 6, 2025 by

During the concluding phase of their main sequence life, stars with mass comparable to the Sun experience a transformative evolution. This evolutionary process is likely to affect the surrounding planetary systems. As the star expands in its post-main-sequence stage, astronomers anticipate that most exoplanets detected to date may be engulfed by the growing star.

An artist’s impression of a sun-like star engulfing a giant exoplanet. Image credits: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / M. Garlick / M. Zamani

Utilizing data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), astronomers Edward Bryant and Vincent Van Eylen studied 456,941 stars that have just commenced their post-main sequence phase.

By employing a computer algorithm, they targeted giant planets with short orbital periods (those that complete an orbit in less than 12 days) and searched for consistent dips in brightness that would indicate these planets transiting in front of their host stars.

They discovered 130 planets and planet candidates, including 33 previously unknown, closely orbiting these stars.

The researchers observed that such planets are less likely to exist around stars that have expanded and cooled sufficiently to be categorized as red giants (more evolved stars), implying that many of these planets might have already been destroyed.

Dr. Bryant, an astronomer at University College London and the University of Warwick, stated: “This provides compelling evidence that as stars progress beyond the main sequence, planets can rapidly spiral out of existence.”

“This topic has been debated and theorized for some time, but we can now observe this phenomenon directly and quantify it at the level of stellar populations.”

“We expected to observe this phenomenon, but we were still astonished by how effectively these stars can consume nearby planets.”

“This destruction is believed to stem from a gravitational tug-of-war between the planet and the star, known as tidal interactions.”

“As the star evolves and expands, these interactions intensify.”

“Just as the moon influences the Earth’s oceans, creating tides, planets also exert a pull on their stars.”

“These interactions decelerate the planet, reducing its orbit and causing it to spiral inward, ultimately resulting in its disintegration or absorption by the star.”

“In the coming billions of years, our sun will expand and transform into a red giant,” mentioned Dr. Van Eylen, an astronomer at University College London.

“Will the planets in our solar system endure this transformation? Our findings suggest that, in some instances, planets do not survive.”

“Earth may be better off than the giant planets much closer to the stars we examine.”

“However, we only analyzed the initial part of the post-main-sequence phase, spanning the first one or two million years. There is still ample opportunity for stellar evolution.”

“Unlike the giant planets lost in our investigation, Earth has the potential to endure the Sun’s red giant phase. However, life on Earth is likely to be extinguished.”

The team’s paper was published on October 15, 2025, in Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.

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Edward M. Bryant and Vincent Van Eylen. 2025. Determine the impact of post-main sequence stellar evolution on the population of passing giant planets. MNRAS 544 (1): 1186-1214; doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf1771

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers Identify Three Earth-Sized Exoplanets in a Close Binary Star System

Posted on October 27, 2025 by

A researcher suggests that the binary star system TOI-2267 is likely home to two warm Earth-sized exoplanets and an additional candidate. A new paper published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics discusses these findings.

Artist’s impression of the binary star system TOI-2267. Image credit: Mario Sucerquia, Grenoble-Alpes University.

The system, known as G 222-3 or TIC 459837008, consists of the M5 type star TOI-2267A and the M6 type star TOI-2267B, which are separated by approximately 8 astronomical units.

Located about 22 parsecs (73.5 light-years) from the Sun in the constellation Cepheus, TOI-2267 presents a fascinating planetary arrangement.

Dr. Sebastian Zuniga Fernández, an astronomer at the University of Liege, stated, “Our analysis shows a distinct planetary configuration: two planets orbiting one star and a third planet orbiting its companion star.”

This discovery makes TOI-2267 the first known binary star system to host planets that transit around both stars.

Dr. Francisco Pozuelos from the Andalucía Astronomical Institute remarked, “Our findings set several records, making this star system the most compact and coolest known planet-planet pair, and it is the first observed instance of a planet transiting both components.”

Astronomers utilized the SPECULOOS and TRAPPIST telescopes along with their proprietary detection software, SHERLOCK, to identify the three planetary signals.

“Uncovering three Earth-sized planets within such a compact binary star system is an exceptional opportunity,” Dr. Zuniga-Fernández noted.

“This will enable us to scrutinize the limits of planet formation models in complex environments and deepen our understanding of the variety of planetary structures in our galaxy.”

The two confirmed planets, TOI-2267b and TOI-2267c, have orbital periods of 2.28 days and 3.49 days, respectively.

The authors currently cannot determine which star in the binary system the planets orbit.

When orbiting TOI-2267A, TOI-2267b and TOI-2267c exhibit radii of 1 and 1.14 Earth sizes, while their radii become 1.22 and 1.36 Earth radii when orbiting TOI-2267B.

Furthermore, researchers detected a third strong signal with a period of 2.03 days, which is still classified as a planetary candidate, having sizes of 0.95 or 1.13 Earth radii depending on whether it orbits TOI-2267A or TOI-2267B.

Dr. Pozuelos added, “This system serves as a genuine natural laboratory for exploring how rocky planets can form and persist under extreme mechanical conditions that were previously thought to endanger their stability.”

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S. Zuniga-Fernandez et al. 2025. Two warm Earth-sized exoplanets and an Earth-sized candidate planet in the M5V-M6V binary star system TOI-2267. A&A 702, A85; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202554419

Source: www.sci.news

Stellar Flares Might Mask Life on Exoplanets – Sciworthy

Posted on October 13, 2025 by

Researchers focused on the quest for extraterrestrial life are actively searching, as aliens have yet to appear on Earth to join us in a galactic federation. Nonetheless, there remains a chance that scientists will find extraterrestrial life close enough for observation, through numerous probes and satellites dispatched throughout our solar system. The anticipation of visitors from the cosmos often generates a constant buzz within the scientific community. extrasolar celestial body passing near the sun.

Many astronomers and astrobiologists are venturing even farther, beyond our solar system and into the realms of other stars. As they cannot deploy instruments to such distant locations for at least several centuries, scientists rely on telescopes to search for indicators of life. These indicators are referred to as biosignatures, which can include elements, molecules, or other characteristics. However, caution is necessary when seeking biosignatures, as measurement inaccuracies and overlooked variables can lead to false positives.

A hypothetical false positive might involve: Exoplanets possessing atmospheres rich in carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas, as well as some hydrogen-oxygen molecules, none of which necessarily indicate life. A powerful burst of matter and energy from an exoplanet’s host star, known as an exoplanet flare, could emit energy that impacts the atmosphere and triggers chemical reactions producing oxygen gas, O₂, and ozone, O₃. Should astronomers detect these compounds in an exoplanet’s atmosphere, they might mistakenly consider the planet a candidate for life.

Recently, a group of scientists explored how such a scenario could manifest on exoplanets and the potential for false life indicators. They conducted a series of six simulations to create plausible scenarios of a flare impacting an uninhabited Earth-like planet. They selected red dwarfs, the most prevalent star type near Earth, and analyzed data on Earth’s atmospheric and surface chemical composition from 4.5 to 4 billion years ago, during a period dominated by carbon dioxide, N₂, and water. They positioned the planet within proximity to its star to receive comparable light levels to what Earth receives from the sun today.

In five of the simulations, they modified the presence of CO.₂ and N₂, adjusting CO₂ levels to make up 3%, 10%, 30%, 60%, or 80% of the atmosphere. The sixth simulation looked at a different atmospheric composition with minimal water. This variant checked for possible extremes in O₂ and O₃ levels, considering that hydrogen from water can bind with stray oxygen atoms. All simulated atmospheres contained trace amounts of O₂ and O_3.

Each simulated atmosphere was then subjected to two flares: one of typical strength observed from real red dwarfs, and the other, known as a super flare, which is 100 times stronger and exceedingly rare. The chemical outcomes of these flares were calculated using specialized software called atmos. Following this, they employed the Spectral Mapping Atmospheric Radiative Transfer (SMART) model to simulate observable effects from Earth-based telescopes.

During standard flare events, O₂ and O₃ levels initially decreased but reverted to their original state approximately 30 years later. Nevertheless, five months post-flare, a slight overshoot in oxygen levels was noted before they normalized.

Analyzing the variations in CO levels, ₂, hydrogen gas, and water within exoplanet atmospheres revealed that each can significantly alter the detectability of oxygen molecules by astronomers. Consequently, the impacts of typical flares are subtle and challenging to discern on actual exoplanets. However, in the unique instances simulated involving super flares, notable increases in O₂ and O₃ occurred, though these levels also nearly returned to pre-flare conditions within 30 years.

Ultimately, the researchers concluded that flares likely have only a minimal and fleeting impact on life detection efforts on these exoplanets. Even if astronomers observed an exoplanet struck by a flare five months prior, the O₂ and O₃ levels, considering potential measurement errors, would not present as distinctly elevated. Nonetheless, the results from super flare scenarios indicate that further examination of false positives in biosignatures is warranted, as high-energy events can substantially disrupt the environmental conditions of exoplanets.

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Free-Floating Exoplanets Are Growing at Unprecedented Rates

Posted on October 3, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Cha J11070768-7626326 (shortened to Cha 1107-7626), a young and isolated exfoliating planet five to ten times the mass of Jupiter, has undergone a remarkable “growth spurt,” accumulating approximately 600 million tons of gas and dust within just a few months in the new sulse.

Artists’ impressions of Xplanet CHA 1107-7626 floating freely. Image credits: ESO/L. Kalsada/M. Kornmesser.

Located approximately 620 light years from the constellation Chamaeleon, Cha 1107-7626 is a free-floating exoplanet still in formation, drawing material from a gas and dust surrounding disc.

This material consistently falls onto planets, a process known as acquisition.

By August 2025, CHA 1107-7626 had increased its accretion rate to about eight times faster than just a few months prior, reaching an astonishing 6 billion tons per second.

“While it is often thought that planets are quiet and stable, this discovery shows that planetary mass objects drifting in space can be incredibly dynamic,” says Dr. Víctor Almendros-Abad.

“We have observed this newly forming illicit planet devouring material at a fierce pace,” remarked Ray Jayawardana, a professor at Johns Hopkins University.

“Our ongoing monitoring over recent months, utilizing two of the most powerful telescopes on Earth and in space, has provided us with rare insight into the infant stages of isolated objects not much larger than Jupiter.”

“Their early existence appears to be significantly more turbulent than previously conceived.”

“This represents the most intense accretion episode ever documented for planetary mass objects,” added Dr. Almendros-Abad.

The discovery was made using the X-Shooter spectrograph on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) operated by ESO in the Atacama Desert, Chile.

Astronomers also employed data from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, as well as archived data from the SINFONI Spectrograph of the VLT.

“The origins of illicit planets remain an open question: are they the lowest mass objects that form like stars, or are they giant planets ejected from their birth systems?” queried Dr. Alex Scholz, an astronomer at St. Andrews University.

Results suggest that at least some illicit planets may follow formation pathways similar to stars, as analogous bursts have been previously observed in younger stellar bodies.

“This finding blurs the line between stars and planets, offering a glimpse into the earliest formation periods of these objects,” states Dr. Belinda Damien, an astronomer at St. Andrews University.

By comparing the light emitted before and after the burst, astronomers gathered insights into the nature of the accretion process.

Interestingly, magnetic activity seems to contribute to driving this intense process.

This indicates that even low-mass objects can possess strong magnetic fields capable of fueling such accretion events.

The team also discovered that the chemistry of the surrounding discs changes during accretion episodes, with water vapor detected in the steam.

This phenomenon has been noted in stars but not previously observed in any type of planet.

“We are beginning to understand how the early life of a free-floating planetary mass object resembles that of a sun-like star,” stated Professor Jayawardana.

“Our recent discoveries emphasize this similarity, suggesting that some giant planet-like objects may form in a manner akin to stars and experience growth episodes similar to newborn stars as they accumulate gas and dust with their own discs.”

The team’s paper was published today in the Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Victor Almendros-Abad et al. 2025. Discovery of accretion bursts on free-floating planetary mass objects. apjl 992, L2; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ae09a8

Source: www.sci.news

Webb Uncovers Evasion Agent Discs That Create Exomoons Around Gas Giant Exoplanets

Posted on September 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have identified a carbon-rich disk encircling CT Cha B, a massive exoplanet located approximately 620 light years from Earth in the Chamaeleon constellation. This discovery offers the first direct insights into the chemical and physical characteristics of the gas giant and the materials that might contribute to its potential lunar system.

Artistic rendering of dust and gas discs surrounding a young exoplanet CT Cha b. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/G. CUGNO, University of Zurich & NCCR Planets/S. Grant, Carnegie Institution for Science/J. Olmsted, Stsci/L. Hustak, Stsci.

CT CHA, also referred to as PDS 44 and TIC 454259409, is merely 2 million years old and continues to accumulate materials for its formation.

However, the disks identified by Webb are independent of the larger accretion disks surrounding the central star.

“We can observe signs of disks around companion celestial bodies and explore their chemistry for the first time,” remarks Dr. Sierra Grant, an astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science.

“We are not merely observing the moon’s formation; we are witnessing the planet’s formation as well.”

“We are investigating the materials involved in forming planets and moons,” added Dr. Gabriele Kuno, an astronomer from the University of Zurich and the National Center for Capacity for Research Planets.

Infrared observations of CT CHA B have been captured by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), which employs a medium-resolution spectrometer.

An initial examination of Webb’s archived data revealed evidence of molecules in the surrounding disk, prompting deeper analysis of the data.

The planet’s faint signal is obscured by the glare of its host star, requiring astronomers to utilize high-contrast techniques to separate the star’s light from that of the planet.

“We detected molecules in the planet’s vicinity, indicating there was something significant to delve into within the data, which took us a year of dedicated effort. It truly required a lot of patience,” Dr. Grant stated.

Ultimately, researchers identified seven carbon-containing molecules within the disk, including acetylene (C₂H₂) and benzene (C₆H₆).

This carbon-rich chemistry contrasts sharply with that found in the disks around the host star, where water was detected alongside carbon.

The disparity between the two disks suggests rapid chemical evolution occurring within just 2 million years.

“We aim to better understand how our solar system formed its moons. This necessitates examining other systems that are still in the process of development. We are striving to comprehend all the underlying mechanisms,” Dr. Cugno explained.

“What do these moons resemble? What are their components? What physical processes are in action, and what are the associated timescales?”

“Webb is capturing the narrative of moon formation, enabling us to explore these questions observationally for the very first time.”

The survey results were published today in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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Gabriele Cugno & Sierra L. Grant. 2025. A carbon-rich disk surrounding the planetary mass ally. ApJL 991, L46; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ae0290

Source: www.sci.news

Can Exoplanets Orbiting TRAPPIST-1 and Other Red Dwarfs Support Life?

Posted on August 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A protective atmosphere, a welcoming sun, and abundant liquid water make Earth a remarkable place. Leveraging the extraordinary capabilities of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers are on a mission to uncover just how unique and extraordinary our planet truly is. Is it possible for a temperate environment to exist elsewhere, perhaps around a different type of star? The TRAPPIST-1 system offers an intriguing opportunity to explore this question, as it contains seven Earth-sized planets orbiting red dwarf stars—the most common type in the Milky Way.

The artist’s concept depicts TRAPPIST-1d passing in front of a turbulent star, showing the other planets in the background. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/Joseph Olmsted, STSCI.

TRAPPIST-1 is a super cool dwarf star situated 38.8 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius.

These stars are slightly larger than Jupiter, comprising only 8% of our Sun’s mass. They rotate quickly and emit UV energy flares.

TRAPPIST-1 is home to seven transiting planets designated TRAPPIST-1b, c, d, e, f, g, and h.

All these planets are similar in size to Earth and Venus, or marginally smaller, with very brief orbital periods of 1.51, 2.42, 4.04, 6.06, 9.21, 12.35, and 20 days, respectively.

They may all be tidally locked, meaning the same side always faces their star, akin to how the same side of the moon is always turned towards Earth. This results in a permanently night side and a permanently day side for each TRAPPIST-1 planet.

“Ultimately, we aim to discover whether similar environments to those we enjoy on Earth exist elsewhere, and under what conditions they might thrive,” stated Dr. Caroline Piaulett Graeb, an astronomer at the University of Chicago and the Trottia Institute for Planetary Research.

“At this stage, we can exclude TRAPPIST-1d as a potential twin or cousin of Earth, even as Webb enables us to investigate Earth-sized planets for the first time.”

Dr. Piaulet-Ghorayeb and her team utilized Webb’s NIRSpec (near-infrared spectroscopy) instrument to capture the transmission spectra of the TRAPPIST-1d planet.

They found no common molecules typically present in Earth’s atmosphere, such as water, methane, or carbon dioxide.

However, they have outlined several possibilities for the exoplanet that warrant further investigation.

“There are multiple reasons we might not detect an atmosphere around TRAPPIST-1d,” Dr. Piaulet-Ghorayeb mentioned.

“It may have a very thin atmosphere, similar to Mars, which is challenging to identify.”

“Alternatively, thick, high-altitude clouds may obscure certain atmospheric signatures.”

“Or it could be a barren rock with no atmosphere whatsoever.”

In any case, TRAPPIST-1d faces challenges as a planet orbiting a red dwarf star.

TRAPPIST-1, the host star of the system, is known for its volatility and often emits high-energy radiation flares that can strip away the atmosphere of nearby small planets.

Nevertheless, scientists remain eager to search for atmospheric signs on the TRAPPIST-1 planets, as red dwarfs are the most prevalent stars in our galaxy.

If these planets can retain an atmosphere here, it suggests they could potentially do so anywhere, even under the harsh conditions of stellar radiation.

“Webb’s sensitive infrared instruments allow us to probe into the atmospheres of these small, cold planets for the first time,” said Dr. Bjorn Beneke, an astronomer at the Institute for Planetary Research at Montreal University.

“We are using Webb to identify atmospheres on Earth-sized planets and define the thresholds between those that can and cannot sustain an atmosphere.”

Results will be published in Astrophysical Journal.

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Caroline Piaulett Graeb et al. 2025. Restrictive conditions on the potential secondary atmosphere of the temperate rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1d. APJ 989, 181; doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ADF207

Source: www.sci.news

Many Exoplanets Discovered by NASA’s TESS Satellite Could Be Larger Than Expected

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The radius of a planet is a crucial factor in understanding its composition and characteristics. Accurate radius measurements are generally obtained by analyzing the percentage of starlight blocked as the planet transits its host star. NASA’s Transit Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has identified hundreds of new exoplanets; however, its low angular resolution can lead to the mixing of light from stars hosting exoplanets with that of background stars. If not entirely corrected, this additional light may dilute the transit signal, leading to an underestimation of the planetary radius. In their analysis of the planet Tess, astronomers from the University of California, Irvine revealed that systematically incorrect planetary radii are frequently reported in scientific literature.

Artistic impression of a gas giant exoplanet and its parent red dwarf star. Image credit: Sci.News.

“We have discovered that many exoplanets are larger than previously thought, which shifts our understanding of exoplanet characteristics on a wide scale,” states Tae Han, a doctoral student at the University of California, Irvine.

“This suggests that we may have actually identified Earth-like planets that are fewer than we initially believed.”

Astronomers cannot directly observe exoplanets; they rely on the planets passing in front of their host stars to measure the subtle decrease in starlight.

“Essentially, we are measuring the shadows cast by planets,” remarks Paul Robertson, a professor at the University of California, Irvine.

In their study, the authors examined the observations of hundreds of exoplanets detected by TESS.

They found that light from neighboring stars could “contaminate” the light emitted by the stars under study.

This results in planets transiting in front of their stars appearing smaller than their actual size, receiving less light compared to larger planets.

Astronomers have conducted numerous studies explaining the characteristics of planets discovered by TESS.

They categorized the planets based on how different research teams measured their radii and used computer models to estimate the extent of bias resulting from light interference from adjacent stars.

Data from the ESA Gaia satellite was utilized to assess the impact of light contamination on TESS observations.

“TESS data is indeed contaminated, and our custom models perform better than any existing methods in the field,” stated Professor Robertson.

“What we discovered in this study is that these planets could be systematically larger than we initially assumed.”

“This raises the question: How common are Earth-sized planets?”

Previously, it was thought there were fewer planets resembling Earth in size.

“Among the single-planet systems identified by TESS, only three were believed to have a composition similar to Earth,” Han noted.

“This new finding indicates that all of them are larger than we previously thought.”

This implies that instead of rocky planets like Earth, they are more likely to be water worlds (planets entirely covered by vast oceans that are often larger than Earth) or larger gas giants like Uranus or Neptune.

This could have significant implications for the search for life on distant worlds, as water worlds may harbor life but lack the specific conditions necessary for life to thrive as it does on Earth.

“These insights have important consequences for our understanding of exoplanets, including prioritizing follow-up observations with the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and assessing the prevalence of water worlds in our galaxy,” concluded Professor Robertson.

The study was published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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Tae Han et al. 2025. Hundreds of TESS exoplanets may be larger than previously thought. ApJL 988, L4; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ade794

Source: www.sci.news

Webb Discovers Two Young Exoplanets in the YSES-1 System

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have discovered a silicate cloud in the atmosphere of the exoplanet YSES-1C and a disk in the evasion facility surrounding the planet YSES-1B.

Artist rendering of the YSES-1 system, featuring a central sun-like star, YSES-1B with its dusty evasive disc (right), and YSES-1C’s atmospheric silicate clouds. Image credit: Ellis Bogut.

YSES-1 is a solar-type star located approximately 309 light-years away in the constellation of Masca.

Also referred to as TYC 8998-760-1 or 2mass J13251211-6456207, this star is roughly equivalent in mass to our Sun but is only 16.7 million years old.

The system comprises two planets, YSES-1B and YSES-1C.

These planets orbit their parent star at distances of 160 and 320 AU, making them more distant from their star than Jupiter and Saturn are from the Sun.

YSES-1B and C could exhibit redder hues compared to other exoplanets (or brown dwarfs), indicating distinct atmospheric properties.

While the system has been observed with various telescopes before the Webb, comprehensive observations were not achievable prior to the Webb program.

“Directly imaged exoplanets are the only types we can truly photograph,” stated Dr. Ebert Nazkin, a postdoctoral researcher at Trinity College Dublin.

“Typically, these exoplanets are younger, hotter from their formative layers, and astronomers observe this heat in the thermal infrared spectrum.”

Utilizing Webb’s spectroscopic capabilities, Dr. Nasedkin and his team obtained detailed spectra of the planets YSES-1B and YSES-1C.

These observations include the first direct detection of atmospheric silicate clouds on YSES-1C, validating prior hypotheses regarding its atmospheric structure.

These silicate clouds likely contain iron, which might contribute to rainfall on the planet.

Astronomers estimate that the cloud particles are less than 0.1 μm in size.

“Upon observing a smaller, more distant companion identified as YSES-1C, I detected a silicate cloud signature in the mid-infrared,” Dr. Nasedkin remarked.

“Composed primarily of sand-like particles, this represents the strongest silicate absorption feature documented in an exoplanet.”

“We believe this is connected to the planet’s youth. Younger planets tend to have slightly larger radii, and this expanded atmosphere enables clouds to absorb more light emitted by the planet.”

“We were able to employ detailed modeling to uncover the chemical makeup of these clouds as well as the size and shape of the cloud particles.”

The team also identified silicate disks surrounding YSES-1B, marking a rare observation of a substellar companion exoplanet.

This finding suggests that YSES-1B may be a relatively recently formed planet.

The discoveries enhance our understanding of the early stages of planetary formation and atmospheric development.

“The planets within the YSES-1 system are so widely separated that current formation theories cannot explain them. The discovery of distinct silicate clouds around YSES-1C and additional findings of small, hot, dusty materials around YSES-1B introduces further mystery and complexity regarding how planets form and evolve.”

The team’s results will be featured in the journal Nature this week.

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kkw hoch et al. Silicate cloud and evasive agent disks in the YSES-1 exoplanet system. Nature Published online on June 10th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09174-w

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers Find Collapsed Exoplanets Sporting Comet-Like Tails

Posted on April 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Using data from NASA’s transit exoplanetary survey satellite (TESS), MIT astronomers discovered a rocky exoplanet orbiting the bright K-Dwarf Star BD+05 4868A and observed variable transport depths, a feature of comet-like tails formed by the dusty effects expressing the distemination planet. This exoplanet-specific is the presence of a dust tail that is prominent in both subsequent and major directions, contributing to the extinction of starlight from the host star.

Impressions of the collapsed exoplanet artists around a giant star. Image credits: Jose-Luis Olivares, MIT.

BD+05 4868A also known as TIC 466376085 or hip 107587, is about 140 light years away from the Pegasus constellation.

A new descattering named BD+05 4868AB approaches the star towards the sun at about 20 times the mercury, completing its orbit every 30.5 hours, but about the mass of mercury.

In close proximity to BD+05 4868A, the planet is roasted at about 1,600 degrees Celsius (3,000 degrees Fahrenheit) and may be covered in boiling magma in space.

Just as planets bubble around the stars, it strips off a huge amount of surface minerals and effectively evaporates.

MIT astronomer Marc Hon and colleagues discovered BD+05 4868AB using NASA’s Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

The signal that turned the astronomer over was a unique transport with a dip that all orbits were deeply fluctuating.

They confirmed that the signal is a tough orbital planet that has long been chasing comet-like fragments.

“The tail range is huge, extending up to 9 million km long, or about half the entire planet’s orbit,” Dr. Hong said.

“The planets collapse at a dramatic rate, and each time a star orbits the star, it appears to be throwing away the amount of material equivalent to Mount Everest.”

Researchers predict that the planet could completely collapse within about 1 to 2 million years.

Dr. Avi Shporer, an astronomer at MIT, said:

Of the almost 6,000 planets astronomers have discovered so far, scientists know only three other collapsed planets beyond our solar system.

Each of these crumbling worlds was discovered over a decade ago using data from NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope. All three planets were found with similar comet-like tails.

The BD+05 4868AB has the longest tail to date and has the deepest transits from four known collapsed planets.

“That means that its evaporation is the most devastating and disappears much faster than other planets,” Dr. Hong said.

Team’s result It will be published in Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Markhon et al. 2025. A crumbling rocky planet with a prominent comet-like tail around a bright star. apjlin press; Arxiv: 2501.05431

Source: www.sci.news

What if astronomers discover no signs of habitability or biosignatures on future exoplanets?

Posted on April 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Using advanced statistical modeling, a team of researchers from ETH Zurich, Seti Institute, and University ‘Tor Vergata’ Yonversity investigated how many exoplanets should be observed and understood before declaring that life beyond Earth is common or rare.

Future telescopes will investigate mild terrestrial exoplanets to estimate the frequency of habitable or inhabited worlds. Angerhausen et al. It aims to determine the minimum number of exoplanets required to draw statistically significant conclusions. Particularly for null results (i.e., no detection). Image credit: Sci.News.

In science, not being able to find anything can bring important insights.

When scientists look for life on exoplanets, they often focus on certain characteristics, such as water, gases like oxygen and methane, which may exhibit biological activity.

But what if scientists can’t find these features? Can we learn meaningful things about how ordinary life exists in the universe?

“Even one positive detection changes everything, but up until then we need to make sure we are learning as much as possible from what we can’t find,” said Dr. Daniel Angerhausen, researcher at ETH Zurich and SETI Institute.

New research shows that if scientists look at 40-80 planets and can’t find any signs of life, they can confidently conclude that less than 10-20% of similar planets have life.

However, this depends heavily on how certain we are for each observation.

These discoveries allow scientists to set meaningful caps on the prevalence of living in the universe.

Furthermore, if there is only 10% of planets in the Milky Way alone that have some form of life, it could still be more than 10 billion planets.

“This kind of outcome would be a turning point,” Dr. Angerhausen said.

“Even if life is not found, ultimately we can quantify planets that are truly rare or common with planets with detectable biosignatures.”

The findings will have a direct impact on future missions such as NASA’s Habitable World Observatory (HWO) and European-led large-scale interferometers on exoplanets searching for life.

These missions will study dozens of Earth-like planets by analyzing the planet’s atmosphere for water, oxygen, and even more complex biosignature signs.

Research shows that the number of observed planets is large enough to draw critical conclusions about the likelihood and prevalence of life in the galaxy.

However, this study points out that even with advanced equipment, these studies should carefully account for uncertainty and bias, and develop frameworks to ensure statistically meaningful results.

One important insight from this study is that uncertainty in individual observations, such as false negatives, can significantly impact conclusions.

“It’s not just the number of planets we observe. It’s about how confident we are to see what we’re looking for or not,” Dr. Angerhausen said.

“If we are not careful and confident in our ability to identify life, even large-scale research can lead to misleading consequences.”

The study will be published in today’s Astronomy Journal.

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Daniel Engerhausen et al. 2025. What if nothing is found? Bayesian analysis of null statistics in future exoplanet habitability and biosignature investigations. AJ 169, 238; doi:10.3847/1538-3881/adb96d

Source: www.sci.news

Webb successfully captures images of several massive exoplanets orbiting two youthful stars

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using Near-infrared camera (NIRCAM) NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope equipped and captured corona graphic images of the HR 8799 and 51 Eridani Planetary Systems. These observations revealed HR 8799 and four known gas giants around 51 Eridani. They also revealed that all HR 8799 planets are carbon dioxide-rich.

This Webb/Nircam image shows the multiplanet system HR 8799. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/W. BALMER, JHU/L. PUEYO, STSCI/M. PERRIN, STSCI.

HR 8799 is a star from 30 million years ago, about 129 light years away from the Pegasus constellation.

Hosts large chip disks and four supergipers: HR 8799b, c, d, and e.

Unlike most exoplanet discoveries inferred from data analysis, these planets are seen directly via ground telescopes.

“We have shown that the atmosphere of these planets has quite a lot of heavy elements, such as carbon, oxygen and iron.

“Given what we know about the stars, it's likely that it indicates that they were formed through Core landing this is an exciting conclusion for the planet we can see firsthand. ”

The planets within HR 8799 are still hot from the formation of the turbulent, ejecting a large amount of infrared rays that provide valuable data about how scientists formed.

Giant planets can take shape in two ways. Like giants in the solar system, by slowly building heavy elements that attract gas, or the particles of gas rapidly merge into giant objects from a cooling disk of a young star made of the same kind of material as the stars.

The first process is called core accretion and the second is called disk instability.

Knowing which formation models are more common can provide clues to scientists distinguish the types of planets they have found in other systems.

“Our hope in this type of study is to understand our own solar system, life and ourselves, in comparison to other exoplanet systems.

“We want to take photos of other solar systems and see how they look similar or different from us.”

“From there we can feel how strange or normal our solar system is.”

This Webb/Nircam image shows the 51 Eridani system. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/W. BALMER, JHU/L. PUEYO, STSCI/M. PERRIN, STSCI.

51 Eridanus is located approximately 97 light years from Earth in the constellation of Eridanus.

51 If called ERI, C ERIDANI, or HD 29391, the star is only 20 million years old and by astronomy standards it is merely a toddler.

Host one giant planet, 51 Eridani B. It orbits the star at a distance of approximately 13 AU (astronomical units), equivalent to that of Saturn and Uranus in the solar system.

Images of HR 8799 and 51 rib ticks were made possible by Webb's Nircam Coronagraph.

This technique allowed astronomers to look for infrared rays emitted by planets at wavelengths absorbed by a particular gas.

They discovered that the four HR 8799 planets contain more heavy elements than previously thought.

“There is other evidence suggesting these four HR 8799 planets formed using this bottom-up approach,” says Dr. Laurent Puueyo, an astronomer at the Institute of Space Telescope Science.

“How common is this on planets we don't know yet?

“We knew that Webb could measure the colour of outer planets in a directly imaged system,” added Dr. Remi Somer of the Institute of Space Telescope Science.

“We waited for 10 years to ensure that the finely tuned operations of the telescope had access to the inner planet.”

“We now have results and we can do some interesting science.”

Survey results It was published in Astronomy Journal.

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William O. Balmer et al. 2025. JWST-TST High Contrast: Living on the Wedge, or Nircam Bar Coronagraph reveals CO₂ HR 8799 and 51 ERI extracts atmosphere. AJ 169, 209; doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ADB1C6

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers Confirm Existence of Three Exoplanets Orbiting Nearby Solar-Type Stars.

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

G-Dwarf is one of these outside planets, HD 20794D, which is likely to be a rocky planet where the parent’s star can live. HD 20794。

This image shows a resident zone around HD 20794 (green) and three planets in the system. Image credit: Gabrielpérezdíaz / smm / IAC.

“HD 20794 is not a normal star in HD 20794D,” said UNIGE ASTRONOMER XAVIER DUMUSQUE.

“Due to its lightness and proximity, it becomes an ideal candidate for the future telescope, and its mission is to directly observe the atmosphere of the outside planet.”

The HD 20794 is a bright G6V star in 6.04 % (19.7 light year) on the constellation of Ellidanus.

Stars, also known as LHS 19 or ERI, host at least three large -scale outside planets: HD 20794B, C, and D.

They have a track period of 18.3, 89.7, and 647.6 days, along with 2.2, 3, and 5.8 global quality.

“The interest of Super Earth Planet The HD 20794D is located in a zone where the stars can live and the place where liquid water can exist.

“Instead of tracing a relatively circular orbit like the Earth or Mars, the HD 20794D trains an elliptical trajectory with a large change in the distance to the star during the revolution.”

“Therefore, the planet vibrates between the inner ends of the star -free zone (0.75 au) and the track (2 au).”

“If there is water in the HD 20794D, it will promote the appearance of life from ice state to liquid state during the Earth revolution around the stars.”

Astronomer monitored the HD 20794 system with the ESO’s very large telescope (VLT) in the paranal of Chile, the Echelle branch device of the rocky planet and the stable spectrum observation (espresso) device.

They participated in espresso data along with the data of the high -precision radial speed planetary searcher (HARPS) device installed in the 3.6 -meter telescope of Chile, including archive data and new measurements from recent archives and new measurements.

“The HD 20794 system is a high -priority target for future air characteristics evaluation with direct imaging facilities,” said researchers.

Their paper Published in the journal Astronomy and astronomical physics。

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N. Nari et al。 2025. Review of nearby star HD 20794 multi -planet system A & A 693, A297; DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202451769

Source: www.sci.news

Webb finds six free-floating exoplanets in NGC 1333

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

How to use Near-infrared imaging device and slitless spectrometer Using the NIRISS instrument on the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered six new free-floating planet-mass members of NGC 1333, with estimated masses ranging from 5 to 15 times that of Jupiter. One of these objects is five times the mass of Jupiter (about 1,600 times that of Earth), making it likely the lowest-mass object with a dusty planetary orbiting disk.

NIRISS-NGC1333-5 (also known as NN5), with an estimated mass five times that of Jupiter, is the lowest-mass object yet found in NGC 1333 and is likely the lowest-mass object with a disk in any region identified so far. Image credit: Langeveld others., doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ad6f0c.

NGC 1333 is a star-forming cluster located about 1,000 light-years away in the northern constellation Perseus.

Also known as Ced 16 and LBN 741, the star cluster was first discovered in 1855 by German astronomer Eduard Schoenfeld.

NGC 1333 is only 1 to 3 million years old and harbors brown dwarfs equivalent to about half the number of stars, a higher proportion than previously observed.

“We're exploring the limits of the star formation process,” said astrophysicist Adam Langeveld of Johns Hopkins University.

“If we had a young Jupiter-like object, could it become a star under the right conditions? This is important context for understanding the formation of stars and planets.”

Dr. Langeveld and his colleagues used Webb's NIRISS instrument to carry out an extremely deep spectroscopic survey of NGC 1333.

Observations have discovered 19 known brown dwarfs and six free-floating planetary-mass objects with masses between 5 and 10 times that of Jupiter.

This means they are among the most lightweight objects yet discovered that were formed from processes that normally produce stars or brown dwarfs (objects that straddle the boundary between stars and planets, do not undergo hydrogen fusion reactions, and disappear over time).

“We used the Webb Telescope's unprecedented sensitivity at infrared wavelengths to search for the faintest members of young star clusters and answer a fundamental question in astronomy: how can objects form star-like shapes with light?” said Ray Jayawardene, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University.

“The smallest stray objects forming like stars turn out to be comparable in mass to giant exoplanets orbiting nearby stars.”

Webb's observations, despite being sensitive enough to detect such objects, did not find any objects with a mass less than five times that of Jupiter.

This strongly suggests that stars less massive than this threshold are likely to form in the same way as planets.

“Our observations confirm that nature produces planetary-mass objects in at least two different ways: from the collapse of clouds of gas and dust as stars form, and from disks of gas and dust around young stars, such as Jupiter in our own solar system,” Dr Jayawardene said.

The most interesting of the planetary-mass objects is NIRISS-NGC1333-5, which is the lightest, with an estimated mass of five Jupiters.

“The presence of a dust disk means that the object almost certainly formed like a star, because cosmic dust typically revolves around a central object during the early stages of star formation,” Dr Langeveld said.

“Disks are also a prerequisite for planet formation, so our observations could also have important implications for potential small planets.”

“These small objects with masses comparable to the giant planets could potentially form planets themselves,” said Dr Alex Scholz, an astrophysicist at the University of St Andrews.

“This could be a nursery for small planetary systems, much smaller in scale than our solar system.”

Astronomers also discovered a new brown dwarf with a planetary-mass companion, a rare find that calls into question theories about how binary star systems form.

“Such pairs likely formed from a contracting, fragmenting cloud, much like a binary star system,” Dr Jayawardene said.

“The diversity of systems created by nature is astonishing and inspires us to refine our models of star and planet formation.”

of Survey results will be published in Astronomical Journal.

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Adam B. Langefeld others2024. JWST/NIRISS Deep Light Survey of Young Brown Dwarfs and Free-Floating Planets. AJin press; doi: 10.3847/1538-3881/ad6f0c

Source: www.sci.news

Astrobiologists pinpoint five key greenhouse gases found on terraformed exoplanets

Posted on June 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The five man-made greenhouse gases identified by astrobiologist Edward Schwieterman of the University of California, Riverside, and his colleagues could be detected in relatively low concentrations in exoplanet atmospheres using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and future space telescopes.

Diagram of the technological features of various planets, including artificial atmospheric gases. Image courtesy of Sohail Wasif / University of California, Riverside.

“For us, these gases are bad because we don’t want them to accelerate warming,” Dr Schwietermann said.

“But they could be useful to a civilization wanting to halt an impending ice age, or to terraform uninhabitable planets in its own system, as humanity has proposed for Mars.”

“These gases are not known to occur in large quantities in nature, so they have to be manufactured.”

“Finding them would therefore be evidence of the presence of intelligent, technological life forms. Such evidence is called a technosignature.”

The five gases proposed by the authors are used on Earth for industrial purposes, such as making computer chips.

These include fluorinated versions of methane, ethane and propane, as well as gases made of nitrogen and fluorine, or sulfur and fluorine.

One advantage is that it’s a very effective greenhouse gas — sulfur hexafluoride, for example, has a warming power 23,500 times that of carbon dioxide — and even a relatively small amount could heat a frozen planet to the point where liquid water could remain on the surface.

Another advantage of the proposed gas, at least from an alien perspective, is that it is extremely long-lived, surviving in an Earth-like atmosphere for up to 50,000 years.

“You won’t need to refill it very often to maintain a comfortable climate,” Dr. Schwieterman said.

Others suggest that refrigerant chemicals such as CFCs are technology signature gases because they are almost entirely man-made and visible in Earth’s atmosphere.

But unlike the chemically inert fully fluorinated gases discussed in the new paper, CFCs damage the ozone layer and may not be advantageous.

“If other civilizations had oxygen-rich atmospheres, they would have also had an ozone layer that they wanted to protect,” Dr Schwietermann said.

“CFCs will be broken down in the ozone layer while also catalyzing its destruction.”

“CFCs degrade easily and have a short lifespan, making them difficult to detect.”

Finally, for fluorinated gases to have an effect on climate, they need to absorb infrared radiation.

This absorption creates an infrared signature that can be detected by space telescopes.

Using current and planned technology, scientists may be able to detect these chemicals in nearby exoplanetary systems.

“In an Earth-like atmosphere, only one in a million molecules could be any of these gases and be detectable, and that concentration would be enough to even alter the climate,” Dr Schwietermann said.

To reach this calculation, the astrobiologists simulated a planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, located about 40 light-years from Earth.

They chose this system because it contains at least seven rocky planets and is one of the best-studied planetary systems other than Earth.

Although it is not possible to quantify the likelihood of discovering man-made greenhouse gases in the near future, we are confident that, if they exist, they could be detected during missions currently planned to characterize the planet’s atmosphere.

“If telescopes are already characterizing planets for other reasons, there would be no need for extra effort to look for these technical features,” Dr Schwietermann said.

“And when you find them, it’s amazing.”

Team work Published in Astrophysical Journal.

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Edward W. Schwietermann others2024. Artificial greenhouse gases as a technological feature of exoplanets. ApJ 969, 20; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad4ce8

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers document extraterrestrial exoplanets

Posted on May 25, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The new catalogue, created as part of the TESS-Keck survey, includes 126 strange planets outside our solar system, ranging from unusual worlds with extreme environments to those that could potentially support life as we know it.

Artist's impression of the 126 planets in the new TESS-Keck survey catalog is based on data such as planet radius, mass, density, and temperature. Question marks represent planets that need more data for full characterization. Image courtesy of W. M. Keck Observatory/Adam Makarenko.

“Relatively few known exoplanets have had both their mass and radius measured,” said Steven Kane, professor at the University of California, Riverside, and principal investigator of the TESS-Keck survey. paper Published in Astrophysical Journal Supplement.

“Combined, these measurements tell us what the planet is made of and how it formed.”

“With this information, we will be able to answer the question of where our solar system fits in the grand scheme of other planetary systems.”

Professor Kane and his colleagues analysed more than 13,000 radial velocity (RV) measurements to calculate the masses of 120 confirmed planets and six candidate planets spread across the northern sky.

“These RV measurements allow astronomers to detect and characterize these exoplanetary systems,” said astrophysicist Ian Crossfield of the University of Kansas.

“When we see a star wobbling back and forth in a regular pattern, we can infer the presence of orbiting planets and measure their masses.”

Several planets discovered in the TESS-Keck survey stand out as touchstones for improving astronomers' understanding of the diverse ways planets form and evolve.

in Related Papers In Astronomical JournalAstronomers have announced the discovery of two new planets orbiting a sun-like star.

The first is a sub-Saturnian planet with a mass and radius intermediate between Neptune and Saturn.

“There's been some debate about whether sub-Saturn planets are truly rare or whether we're just bad at finding them,” said Michelle Hill, a graduate student at the University of California, Riverside.

“So planet TOI-1386b is an important addition to this planetary group.”

TOI-1386b takes just 26 days to orbit its star, while its neighbour, a planet with a mass similar to that of Saturn, takes 227 days to orbit the same star.

in Related ArticlesThe researchers described TOI-1437b, a planet about half the size of Neptune that orbits a sun-like star every 19 days.

“Planets smaller than Neptune and larger than Earth are the most common worlds in our galaxy, but they don't exist in our solar system,” said Daria Pidhorodetka, a graduate student at the University of California, Riverside.

“With each new discovery, we are reminded of how diverse the universe is, and that our place in it may be more unique than we can understand.”

The catalog also contains detailed descriptions of planets that, unlike the Sun, orbit extremely short distances around their stars.

One is so close to the orange dwarf that it completes an orbit in less than 12 hours.

“TOI-1798c orbits its star so quickly that a year on the planet lasts less than half an Earth day,” said Alex Polansky, a graduate student at the University of Kansas.

“Because these planets are so close to their stars, they are extremely hot and receive more than 3,000 times the radiation that Earth receives from the Sun.”

“Being in this extreme environment means that the planet is likely losing any atmosphere it may have originally formed.”

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Alex S. Polanski other2024. TESS-Keck Survey. XX. Uniform RV analysis of 15 new TESS planets and all survey targets. AppJS 272, 32; Source: 10.3847/1538-4365/ad4484

Michelle L. Hill other2024. TESS-Keck Survey. XIX. Warm transiting sub-Saturn-mass and non-transiting Saturn-mass planets orbiting solar analogues. AJ 167, 151; Source: 10.3847/1538-3881/ad2765

Daria Pidhorodetka other. 2024. TESS-Keck Survey. XXII. TOI-1437 in Near-Neptune Orbit. arXiv: 2405.12448

Source: www.sci.news

Research shows that binary star systems contain a higher number of habitable exoplanets than previously thought

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In a new study, astronomers from Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology examined the coupled distribution of spin and orbital orbits of exoplanets in binary and triple star systems.

An artist's impression of a giant exoplanet and its two parent stars. Image credit: Sci.News.

An important subset of all known exoplanet systems include host stars with one or more bound stellar companions.

These multistar systems can span a vast range of relative configurations and provide rich insights into the processes by which stars and planets form.

“We showed for the first time that a system where everything is coordinated stacks up unexpectedly,” he said. Dr. Malena Ricean astronomer at Yale University.

“The planet orbits in exactly the same direction as the first star rotates, and the second star orbits its system in the same plane as the planet.”

Dr. Rice and his colleagues used a variety of sources, including the Gaia DR3 catalog of high-precision stellar astronomical measurements, the planetary system composite parameter table from the NASA Exoplanet Archive, and the TEPCat catalog of spin-orbit angle measurements of exoplanets. to create a 3D geometric shape. Number of planets in a binary star system.

Astronomers found that nine of the 40 star systems they studied were in “perfect” locations.

“This could indicate that planetary systems prefer to move toward ordered configurations,” Rice said.

“This is also good news for life forming in these systems.”

“A star's companion star with a different alignment can wreak havoc on a planetary system, overturning the planet or flash-heating the planet over time.”

“And what would the world look like on a warmer Tatooine?”

“During some seasons of the year, there would be continuous daylight, and one star would illuminate one side of the Earth, and another star would illuminate the other side.”

“But that sun's light isn't always scorching, because one of the stars is farther away.”

“At other times of the year, both stars will illuminate the same side of the Earth, and one star will appear much larger than the other.”

of study will be published in astronomy magazine.

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Malena Rice other. 2024. Orbital geometry and stellar inclination of multistar systems hosting exoplanets. A.J., in press. arXiv: 2401.04173

Source: www.sci.news

Over 1,900 exoplanets in our galaxy may experience diamond rain

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Diamond rain could fall on many exoplanets

shutter stock

The sky of an icy planet in space may be full of diamonds. Compacted carbon compounds may turn into diamonds at less extreme temperatures than researchers thought would be necessary, which could make diamond rain a common phenomenon inside giant ice cubes. there is.

In the past, laboratory experiments have confused the conditions under which diamonds form inside ice giants like Uranus and Neptune. There are two types of experiments to investigate this: dynamic compression experiments, in which a carbon compound is subjected to a sudden impact, and static compression experiments, in which it is placed in a chamber and gradually compressed. Previous dynamic compression experiments required much higher temperatures and pressures to form diamonds.

mango frost Using static compression and dynamic heating, researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California sandwiched polystyrene (the same polymer used to make Styrofoam) between two diamonds and applied an X-pulse. We conducted a new series of experiments to compress Ray of light. They observed diamonds begin to form from polystyrene at temperatures of about 2,200 degrees Celsius and pressures of about 19 gigapascals, conditions similar to the shallow interiors of Uranus and Neptune.

These pressures are much lower than those found necessary for diamond formation in previous experiments using dynamic compression. This reaction took longer than the typically performed dynamic compaction experiments. This may explain why no low-pressure diamond formation was detected in such experiments. “It didn't match the established results and wasn't what we expected, but it was a good fit and brought everything together,” Frost says. “It turns out it's all due to different timescales.”

This could mean that diamonds could rain on smaller planets than previously thought. The researchers calculated that of the approximately 5,600 exoplanets identified, more than 1,900 could rain diamonds.

This also means that diamonds may form at shallower depths within our solar system than we think, which could change our understanding of the internal dynamics of giant planets. There is a possibility that it will change. This shallow geological formation could allow diamond rain to pass through layers of ice as it sinks toward the centers of these planets. This, in turn, will affect the icy world's magnetic fields, which are complex and poorly understood.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

New Method Discovered by Astronomers for Detecting Water Oceans and Alien Life on Rocky Exoplanets

Posted on December 30, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Planets that are too close to their star (such as Venus) are too hot, and planets that are too far away (such as Mars) are too cold, but planets that are within the habitable zone have just the right temperature. Although great efforts have been made to identify planets in the theoretical habitable region of stars, until now there has been no way to know whether a planet really has liquid water. Now, astronomers from the University of Birmingham and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that if an exoplanet’s atmosphere has less carbon dioxide than its neighbors, it may have liquid water on its surface. It was shown that it was suggested.

Artist’s impression of the super-Earth planet Ross 508b. Image credit: Sci.News.

Astronomers have detected more than 5,200 extrasolar worlds so far. Modern telescopes allow us to directly measure the distance from a planet to a star and the time it takes to complete one revolution.

These measurements help scientists infer whether a planet is within its habitable zone.

However, there was no way to directly confirm whether a planet was truly habitable, i.e. whether there was liquid water on its surface.

Throughout our solar system, astronomers can detect the presence of liquid oceans by observing glints, flashes of sunlight reflecting off liquid surfaces.

These glows, or specular reflections, have been observed, for example, on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, and helped identify the moon’s large lakes.

However, detecting similar glows on distant planets is not possible with current technology.

But astronomer Julien de Witt of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, astronomer Amaury Tryaud of the University of Birmingham and colleagues believe there is another habitable landform close to home that could be detected far away. I noticed something.

“Looking at what was happening to terrestrial planets in our own star system gave us an idea,” Tryaud said.

Venus, Earth, and Mars share similarities in that all three are rocky and live in relatively temperate regions relative to the Sun.

Earth is the only planet of the three that currently has liquid water. Researchers then noted another clear difference. That means there is significantly less carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere.

“We think these planets formed in a similar way, and if we find a planet with less carbon than it does now, it must have gone somewhere else,” Tryaud said.

“The only process that can remove this much carbon from the atmosphere is a strong water cycle involving oceans of liquid water.”

In fact, Earth’s oceans have played a major and persistent role in absorbing carbon dioxide.

For hundreds of millions of years, the ocean has absorbed enormous amounts of carbon dioxide. This is about the same amount that remains in Venus’ atmosphere today.

This planetary effect has resulted in Earth’s atmosphere being significantly depleted in carbon dioxide compared to neighboring planets.

Dr. Frieder Klein, a researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, said: “On Earth, much of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is sequestered in seawater and solid rock over geological timescales; It has helped regulate climate and habitability for billions of years.” .

Astronomers reasoned that if a similar decrease in carbon dioxide was detected on a distant planet compared to a nearby planet, this would be a reliable signal of a liquid ocean and life on its surface. did.

“After an extensive review of the literature in many fields, from biology to chemistry to carbon sequestration related to climate change, we found that if carbon depletion is indeed detected, it is likely that liquid water and its effects are “We think this is likely a strong indication that this is a sign of life.” Dr. de Witt said.

In the study, the researchers developed a strategy to detect habitable planets by looking for traces of depleted carbon dioxide.

Such searches are ideal for “pea” systems, like our solar system, in which multiple terrestrial planets, all about the same size, orbit relatively close to each other.

The first step, the scientists suggest, is to confirm that a planet has an atmosphere by simply looking for the presence of carbon dioxide, which is expected to dominate the atmospheres of most planets.

“Carbon dioxide is a very strong absorber of infrared light and can be easily detected in the atmospheres of exoplanets,” Dr. de Witt said.

“The carbon dioxide signal could reveal the presence of an exoplanet’s atmosphere.”

Once astronomers determine that multiple planets in a system have atmospheres, they move on to measuring their carbon dioxide content to see if one planet has significantly less than the others.

If so, this planet is likely habitable, which means there is a large amount of liquid water on its surface.

However, habitable conditions do not necessarily mean that the planet is inhabited. To confirm whether life actually exists, the authors suggest that astronomers look for another feature in the planet’s atmosphere: ozone.

On Earth, plants and some microorganisms contribute to absorbing carbon dioxide, although to a lesser extent than the oceans. Nevertheless, as part of this process, living organisms release oxygen, which reacts with solar photons and turns into ozone. Ozone is a much easier molecule to detect than oxygen itself.

If a planet’s atmosphere shows signs of both ozone and carbon dioxide depletion, the planet may be habitable and inhabited by humans.

“If you see ozone, there’s a pretty good chance it’s related to carbon dioxide being consumed by life forms,” says Tryaud.

“And if it’s life, it’s glorious life. It won’t be just a few bacteria. It’ll be a planetary-scale biomass that can process and interact with large amounts of carbon.”

The researchers believe NASA/ESA/CSA’s James Webb Space Telescope can measure carbon dioxide, and possibly ozone, in nearby multiplanetary systems like TRAPPIST-1, a seven-planet system orbiting a bright star. I’m guessing it is. Light years from Earth.

“TRAPPIST-1 is one of the few systems that can use the Web to study Earth’s atmosphere,” said Dr. de Witt.

“We now have a roadmap to finding habitable planets. If we all work together, we may make paradigm-changing discoveries within the next few years.”

of study It was published in the magazine natural astronomy.

_____

AHMJ triode other. Atmospheric carbon depletion as a tracer of water oceans and biomass in temperate terrestrial exoplanets. Nat Astron, published online on December 28, 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41550-023-02157-9

Source: www.sci.news

Uncovering the Impact of Climate Change on Exoplanets: Transitioning from Temperate to Fear

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers have conducted a new study on the runaway greenhouse effect, revealing how a critical threshold of water vapor could cause catastrophic climate change on Earth and other planets. This study reveals key cloud patterns contributing to this irreversible climate change and provides insight into exoplanets’ climates and their potential to support life. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

The UNIGE team, in collaboration with CNRS, successfully simulated an entire runaway greenhouse effect that could render Earth completely uninhabitable.

Earth is a wonderful blue and green dot covered with oceans and life, Venus It is a yellowish sterile sphere that is not only inhospitable but also sterile. However, the temperature difference between the two is only a few degrees.

A team of astronomers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and members of the National Center for Research Competence (NCCR) PlanetS achieved a world first by managing the entire simulation, with support from the CNRS laboratories in Paris and Bordeaux. Achieved. A runaway greenhouse process that could change Earth’s climate from an idyllic environment perfect for life to a harsh and more than hostile place.

Scientists have also demonstrated that from the early stages of the process, atmospheric structure and cloud cover change significantly, making reversing the nearly uncontrollable and runaway greenhouse effect extremely complex. On Earth, an increase in the average temperature of the Earth by a few tens of degrees after a slight increase in the sun’s brightness is enough to start this phenomenon and make our planet habitable.

A runaway greenhouse effect could transform a temperate, habitable planet with oceans of liquid water on its surface into a planet dominated by hot steam hostile to all life. Credit: © Thibaut Roger / UNIGE

Greenhouse effect and runaway scenario

The idea of a runaway greenhouse effect is not new. In this scenario, the planet could evolve from an Earth-like temperate state to a true hell with surface temperatures exceeding her 1000 degrees. Cause? Water vapor is a natural greenhouse gas. Water vapor prevents solar radiation absorbed by the Earth from being re-emitted into space as thermal radiation. It traps some heat like a rescue blanket. A little greenhouse effect would be helpful, but without it, the average temperature of Earth would drop below the freezing point of water, making it a ball of ice and hostile to life.

Conversely, if the greenhouse effect is too strong, it increases evaporation in the oceans and increases the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. “There is a critical threshold for this amount of water vapor, beyond which the Earth can no longer cool down. From there, everything ramps up until the oceans completely evaporate and temperatures reach hundreds of degrees.” , explains Guillaume Chabelo, a former postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Astronomy at the Faculty of Science at UNIGE and lead author of the study.

Groundbreaking research on climate change

“Other important studies in climatology to date have focused solely on either temperate states before the runaway or habitable states after the runaway,” says a study from the CNRS Institute in Paris and Bordeaux. Martin Tarbet, author and co-author of this paper, explains: study. “This is the first time a research team has used a 3D global climate model to study the transition itself and see how the climate and atmosphere evolve during the process.”

One of the key points of the study explains the emergence of very unique cloud patterns, increasing the runaway effect and making the process irreversible. “From the beginning of the transition, we can observe the development of very dense clouds in the upper atmosphere. In fact, the latter are responsible for the separation of the Earth’s atmosphere and its two main layers, the troposphere and the stratosphere. It no longer exhibits the characteristics of a temperature inversion. The structure of the atmosphere has changed significantly,” points out Guillaume Chavelot.

Serious consequences of searching for life elsewhere

This discovery is an important feature for studying the climate of other planets, especially exoplanets orbiting stars other than the Sun. “By studying the climates of other planets, one of our most powerful motivations is to determine the likelihood of them harboring life,” said Dr. said Emmeline Bolmont, director and co-author of “Extraterrestrial Research” study.

LUC leads cutting-edge interdisciplinary research projects on the origins of life on Earth and the search for life elsewhere in the solar system and beyond planetary systems. “After previous studies, we had already suspected the existence of a water vapor threshold, but the appearance of this cloud pattern is a real surprise!” reveals Emmeline Bolmont. “We also studied in parallel how this cloud pattern produces specific signatures, or ‘fingerprints’, that can be detected when observed. exoplanet atmosphere. The next generation of equipment should be able to detect it, ”he reveals Martin Turbet. The team also doesn’t aim to stop there. Guillaume Chabelo received a research grant to continue this work at the Grenoble Institute for Planetary Observation and Astrophysics (IPAG). This new phase of the research project will focus on specific cases from Earth.

Earth in fragile equilibrium

Using a new climate model, scientists have shown that a very small increase in solar radiation of just a few tens of degrees, leading to a rise in global temperatures, is enough to trigger this irreversible runaway process on Earth. I calculated that. It would make our planet as inhospitable as Venus. One of the current climate goals is to limit global warming caused by greenhouse gases to just 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. One of the problems with Guillaume Chavelot’s research grant is to determine whether a small increase in greenhouse gases could cause a runaway process. The brightness of the sun may be enough. If so, the next question becomes determining whether the threshold temperatures for both processes are the same.

Therefore, Earth is not far from this apocalyptic scenario. “Assuming this runaway process begins on Earth, evaporation of just 10 meters of ocean surface would raise atmospheric pressure at the surface by 1 bar. Within just a few hundred years, surface temperatures would exceed 500°C. Then the surface pressure would rise to 273 bar, the temperature would exceed 1500 degrees, and eventually all oceans would completely evaporate,” concludes Guillaume Chavelot.

Reference: “First Exploration of Runaway Greenhouse Transitions Using 3D General Circulation Models” by Guillaume Chaverot, Emeline Bolmont, and Martin Turbet, December 18, 2023. astronomy and astrophysics.

Exoplanets in Geneva: 25 years of expertise wins Nobel Prize

The first exoplanet was discovered in 1995 by two University of Geneva researchers, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz, who won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics. With this discovery, Department of Astronomy, University of Geneva The construction and installation of has put us at the forefront of research in this field. harp upon ESO3.6 meter telescope at La Silla in 2003.

For 20 years, this spectrometer was the world’s most powerful at determining the masses of exoplanets. However, HARPS was surpassed in 2018 by ESPRESSO, another Earth-based spectrometer built in Geneva. very large telescope (VLT) Paranal, Chile.

Switzerland is also working on space-based exoplanet observations with the CHEOPS mission. This is the result of the expertise of two countries. University of Bern, the on-ground experience of the University of Geneva in collaboration with the universities of Geneva and with the support of the universities of the Swiss capital. These two areas of scientific and technical expertise are PlanetS National Center for Research Capability (NCCR).

Life in the Universe Center (LUC): A pillar of interdisciplinary excellence

of Life in the Universe Center (LUC) is an interdisciplinary research center at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), established in 2021 following the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to Professors Michel Mayor and Didier Quelot. Thanks to advances over the past decade in both the fields of solar system exploration, exoplanets, and the organic structure of life, it is now possible to address the question of the emergence of life on other planets in a concrete way. Ta. It’s no longer just a guess. Located at the intersection of astronomy, chemistry, physics, biology, and the earth and climate sciences, LUC aims to understand the origin and distribution of life in the universe. Led by the Department of Astronomy, LUC brings together researchers from numerous institutes and departments at UNIGE, as well as from our international partner universities.

Source: scitechdaily.com

The Threat of Cool Star’s Strong Winds to Exoplanets

Posted on December 17, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Artist’s illustration of a stellar planetary system. You can clearly see the stellar wind orbiting the star and its effect on the planet’s atmosphere.Credit: AIP/ K. Riebe/ J. Fohlmeister, editor

A groundbreaking study reveals that cold stars with strong magnetic fields generate powerful stellar winds, providing important information for assessing the habitability of exoplanetary systems.

A study led by scientists at the Potsdam Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics (AIP) uses cutting-edge numerical simulations to systematically characterize the properties of stellar winds in a sample of cold stars for the first time. Ta. They found that stars with stronger magnetic fields generate stronger winds. These winds create unfavorable conditions for the survival of planetary atmospheres, thus affecting the habitability of these systems.

Cool star classification

The Sun is one of the most abundant stars in the universe, known as “cool stars.” These stars are divided into four categories (F-type, G-type, K-type, and M-type) that differ in size, temperature, and brightness. The Sun is a fairly average star and belongs to category G. Stars that are brighter and larger than the Sun belong to category F, while K stars are slightly smaller and cooler than the Sun. The smallest and faintest star is the M star, also known as a “red dwarf” because of the color in which it emits most of its light.

Solar wind and its effects

Satellite observations have revealed that, apart from light, the sun continuously emits a stream of particles known as the solar wind. These winds travel through interplanetary space and interact with the planets of our solar system, including Earth. The beautiful displays of the Northern Lights near the North and South Poles are actually produced by this interaction. But these winds can also be harmful, as they can erode Earth’s stable atmosphere. Mars.

We know a lot about the solar wind, thanks in part to missions like Solar Orbiter, but the same isn’t true for other cool stars. The problem is that we can’t see these stellar winds directly, so we’re limited to studying their effects on the thin gas that fills the cavities between stars in galaxies. However, this approach has some limitations and can only be applied to a small number of stars. This has encouraged the use of computer simulations and models to predict various properties of stellar winds without the need for astronomer observations.

Pioneering research on the properties of stellar winds

In this regard, in collaboration with Cecilia Garaffo of the Harvard University Center for Astrophysics, doctoral student Judy Chevely of AIP’s Stellar Physics and Exoplanet Division, and scientist Julián D. Alvarado Gomez Dr. Katja Poppenhager, head of the department, assisted. The Smithsonian Institution conducted the first systematic study of the expected stellar wind properties for F, G, K, and M stars.

To this end, they performed numerical simulations using one of the most sophisticated models currently available, driven by the observed large-scale magnetic field distributions of 21 well-observed stars. I used it. The simulations were performed at the AIP and Leibniz-Rechenzentrum (LRZ) supercomputing facilities.

The research team investigated how star properties such as gravity, magnetic field strength, and rotation period affect the properties of the wind in terms of velocity and density. The results include a comprehensive characterization of stellar wind properties across spectral types and, in particular, challenge previous assumptions about stellar wind speeds when estimating associated mass loss rates from observations. This indicates that it needs to be reconsidered.

In addition, the simulations can predict the expected size of the Alfvén surface, the boundary between the stellar corona and the stellar wind. This information is the basis for determining whether planetary systems are affected by strong magnetic star-planet interactions. This interaction can occur when a planet’s orbit enters or is completely embedded in the Alfvén surface of its host star.

Impact on planetary systems

Their findings show that stars with magnetic fields larger than the Sun have faster winds. In some cases, stellar wind speeds can be up to five times faster than the average solar wind speed (typically 450 km/s). The study revealed how strong these stars’ winds are in their so-called “habitable zone,” defined as the orbital distance at which a rocky exoplanet can maintain liquid water on its surface and provide an Earth-like atmospheric pressure. It was evaluated as being strong. They found milder conditions around F- and G-type stars, comparable to those experienced by Earth around the G-type Sun, and increasingly harsh wind environments around K- and M-type stars. discovered. Such intense stellar winds have a strong impact on any atmosphere a planet might have.

Broader implications for exoplanet research

This phenomenon is well documented in heliophysics between rocky planets and the Sun, but not in exoplanetary systems. This requires estimates of stellar winds to assess processes similar to those seen between the solar wind and planetary atmospheres. This study is important from the perspective of habitability, as no information on stellar winds has been known for main-sequence stars F to M until now.

Although the study presented in this paper was performed on 21 stars, the results are general enough to apply to other cool main sequence stars. This study paves the way for future studies of stellar wind observations and their effects on planetary atmosphere erosion.

References: Judy J Chebly, Julián D Alvarado-Gómez, Katja Poppenhäger, and Cecilia Garraffo, “Quantifying the wind properties of cool main-sequence stars,” July 19, 2023. Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.
DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stad2100

Source: scitechdaily.com

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Tag Archives: exoplanets

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Uncovering the Impact of Climate Change on Exoplanets: Transitioning from Temperate to Fear

The Threat of Cool Star’s Strong Winds to Exoplanets

Cool star classification

Solar wind and its effects

Pioneering research on the properties of stellar winds

Impact on planetary systems

Broader implications for exoplanet research