Science offers the privilege of following evidence, not prejudice. The first interstellar object discovered near Earth, Oumuamua, showed half a dozen anomalies relative to comets or asteroids in the Solar […]
Imaging & Spectroscopy
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Neptune
Reflected Spectroscopy Of Small Exoplanets I: Determining The Atmospheric Composition Of sub-Neptunes Planets
Direct imaging of widely separated exoplanets from space will obtain their reflected light spectra and measure their atmospheric properties, and small and temperate planets will be the focus of the […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware
Raman Spectroscopy And Planetary Exploration: Testing The ExoMars/RLS System At The Tabernas Desert (Spain)
ExoFit trials are field campaigns financed by ESA to test the Rosalind Franklin rover and to enhance collaboration practices between ExoMars working groups. During the first trial, a replicate of […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Oxygen False Positives On Habitable Zone Planets Around Sun-Like Stars
Oxygen is a promising exoplanet biosignature due to the evolutionary advantage conferred by harnessing starlight for photosynthesis, and the apparent low likelihood of maintaining oxygen-rich atmospheres without life.
Posted inAriel Mission, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Ariel: Enabling Planetary Science Across Light-years
Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA’s Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry
Two Decades of km-resolution Satellite- And Ground-based Measurements of the Precipitable Water Vapor in the Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert has long been established as an excellent site for submillimeter observations. Yet identifying potentially optimal locations for a new facility within this region can require long field […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Sample Return
Astrobiologist Kennda Lynch Uses Analogs On Earth to Find Life On Mars
If we find life on the Red Planet, we’ll have astrobiologists like Dr. Kennda Lynch to thank. Lynch is an astrobiologist and geomicrobiologist studying life in extreme environments on Earth […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Dale Andersen's Field Reports, Education and Outreach, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Video, Audio, Webcasts, Podcasts, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Video: Drone Footage Of Lake Untersee, Antarctica
Dale Andersen: A quick video tour of Lake Untersee using drone footage I captured including views of our camp, a drive across the lake from our camp to the pressure […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: Design Of The Life Signature Detection Polarimeter LSDpol
Many biologically produced chiral molecules such as amino acids and sugars show a preference for left or right handedness (homochirality). Light reflected by biological materials such as algae and leaves […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Neptune
Methane As A Dominant Absorber In The Habitable-zone Sub-Neptune K2-18 b
In their Letter, Tsiaras et al.1 reported the detection of water vapour in the atmosphere of K2-18 b, an exoplanet of 7 to 10 Earth masses located in the habitable […]