![Ratio maps involving the PAH7.7 feature and the F1500W synthetic photometry applied to the MRS cubes for ASPECS galaxies. The first row of panels shows the maps of the total PAH7.7 feature to the synthetic F1500W photometry. Ratios above 1 are possible because the wings of the PAH feature extend well beyond the filter (see text for details and Donnan et al. 2026b). The second row of panels is the fraction of PAH7.7 feature within the F1500W filter to the synthetic F1500W photometry. The third row of panels is the same as the second but for the fraction of continuum emission within the F1500W to the synthetic F1500W photometry -- [astro-ph.GA]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAHSPECS.png?resize=1200%2C718&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.GA] The physical conditions of the interstellar medium (ISM) are thought to differ greatly at high redshifts compared to local galaxies. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are key ISM constituents, mediating […]
Astronomy & Telescopes
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
The First Complete Picture Of (Gas) Planet Formation In Action
[Max Planck Institute for Astronomy] Over the past decades, astronomers have reconstructed a fairly complete scenario for planet formation, from minute dust motes clumping together to the emergence of rocky […]
Posted inBeta Pictoris
Discovery Of Radio Emission From The Exoplanet β Pictoris b
[astro-ph.EP] Planetary magnetic fields shape atmospheric escape, mediate interactions with stellar winds, and encode information about planetary interiors, yet they have not been directly measured for planets beyond the Solar […]
Posted inHabitable Zones
Inside the Eirenesphere: The Interplay of Porosity, Heat Flux and Mineralogy in Exoplanetary Aquable and Habitable Layers
[astro-ph.EP] The classical circumstellar habitable zone restricts the search for life to planetary surfaces where stellar irradiation sustains liquid water, overlooking vast subsurface environments.
![Sky-coverage of the four surveys utilized in this study, with celestial coordinates displayed. It depicts three consecutive observation sectors of TESS, labeled as i−1, i, and i+1. Each of the four TESS cameras is represented by a different color. The beginning of each sector is marked in gray at an ecliptic latitude of 6 deg. The green area indicates the observing region of the fourth camera, which begins at an ecliptic latitude of 78 deg and encompasses the entire ecliptic pole. The magenta, yellow, and grey areas depict the typical 15-day observation coverage of LSST, Pan-STARRS, and ATLAS-W68, respectively. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/1IOumuamua.png?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Posted inInterstellar
1I/’Oumuamua-like Objects’s SFDs With Older, Current And Future Surveys
[astro-ph.EP] Interstellar Objects (ISOs) may provide direct evidence of planetesimals ejected from early-stage solar systems. Studying these objects and predicting their detection through various surveys is vital for enhancing our […]
![Distributions of planetary mass, mass of the host star and semi-major axis of all confirmed exoplanets listed at exoplanet.eu. The planets are color-coded according to method used for their discovery. The dashed gray line marks the deuterium-burning mass limit of 13 MJup. [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Characterization-1.png?resize=1200%2C710&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Characterization Of Planetary Systems With Astrometry
[astro-ph.EP] Astrometry is the oldest method used to search for extrasolar planets. This technique provides key information about a planetary system, like the true mass of planets and its three-dimensional […]
![All plot facets identical to Figure 5. Simultaneous characterization of H2O and O2. Detector noise and thermal emission are included. Shorter wavelengths are preferred for dual detection, but result in lower yields. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Possible-Observational.png?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Possible Observational Survey Strategies to Maximize Exoplanet Yields: A Report from the Survey Strategies Task Group in the Exoplanet Science Yields Working Group
[astro-ph.EP] We present a variety of possible observational sequences from planet detection to characterization (i.e., survey strategies) for the initial exoEarth detection and characterization survey phase of the Habitable Worlds […]
![LDPI–ReTOF mass spectrum obtained after the deposition of 40 ML pure NH3 ice at 15 K (red), without VUV irradiation. A reference mass spectrum obtained for a bare, clean substrate is presented for comparison (black). The spectra are offset for clarity -- [astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Quantifying.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
Quantifying The Temperature-dependent Yields Of N2 And N2H4 Formation In Vacuum-ultraviolet-irradiated NH3 Ice
[astro-ph.IM] Gas–grain astrochemical models predict that a substantial fraction of elemental nitrogen in dense cores and protoplanetary disks is locked in molecular nitrogen (N2), in the gas or ice phase, […]
Posted inImaging & Spectroscopy
The Science Potential of Characterizing Gas Giant Exoplanets with HWO
[astro-ph.EP] With the ability to directly image Earth-like exoplanets and search their atmospheres for biosignatures, the upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will also collect high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) reflected-light photometry […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather
Optical Constants of Photochemical Haze Analogs in N2-CH4-CO Atmospheres from 0.4 to 28.6 μm
[astro-ph.EP] Photochemical hazes play an important role in shaping the spectra and radiative balance of N2-dominated planetary atmospheres.