![Latitude-longitude maps of column-integrated water clouds (panels a, b and c), outgoing longwave radiation (OLR, panels d, e and f) and albedo at the top of the atmosphere (TOA albedo, panels g, h and i) for Cases 2A, 2B and 2C. The variables are averaged over ∼50 orbits. The dashed white line on the albedo color bar corresponds to the surface albedo.-- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/A-broad.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.EP] VLT/RISTRETTO, ELT/ANDES and ELT/PCS will soon enable atmospheric characterization of non-transiting, small rocky exoplanets orbiting closer than the inner edge of the Habitable Zone around M dwarfs, combining high-contrast […]
ANDES
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes
ANDES, The High-resolution Spectrograph Oof The ELT: Simulated Performance Of The CORO Module And Overview Of The High-contrast Capabilities For Exoplanet Observations
[astro-ph.IM] We present the simulated performance of the coronagraph (CORO) module for ANDES, the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) high-resolution spectrograph.
![Vertical profiles of temperature and volume mixing ratios for the species included in our atmospheric model, simulated for TRAPPIST-1 e. The profile behavior follows from the equations and assumptions described in Section 2.2. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Biosignature-Detectability.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
Biosignature Detectability On Transiting Habitable Worlds With ELT/ANDES
[astro-ph.EP] The search for life beyond the Solar System is at a turning point, transitioning from theoretical predictions to observations enabled by next-generation observatories.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Recent Development In High-precision High-fidelity Spectrographs For Exoplanet Research And Characterization
High-precision high-fidelity spectrographs are the most powerful instruments for exoplanets detection and characterization. The sub-m/s radial-velocity precision, required to detect Earth-mass exoplanets, necessitates tackling all the sources of instrumental and […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Atmospheric Constraints On GJ 1214 b From CRIRES+ And Prospects For Characterisation With ANDES
In this study, we aim to constrain the atmospheric composition of GJ 1214 b using all available transits observed with the upgraded CRIRES+ spectrograph at the VLT by searching for […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Unraveling The Non-equilibrium Chemistry Of The Temperate Sub-Neptune K2-18 b
The search for habitable, Earth-like exoplanets faces major observational challenges due to their small size and faint signals.
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
A Super-Earth Discovered In The Habitable Zone Of Nearby Red Dwarf GJ 3998
An international team, led by a student from Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), has detected a super-Earth orbiting in the habitable zone of GJ 3998, a nearby red dwarf […]
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Commercial & Private Sector, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Sample Return
Extremophile Spinoffs: Bioactive Compounds Identified In Bacteria From The Andes
An article published in the journal Scientific Reports describes how researchers analyzed biofilm produced by bacteria found in the El Medano hot springs, located in Chile in the central Andes, […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report
Hyperexpansion of Genetic Diversity and Metabolic Capacity of Extremophilic Bacteria and Archaea in Ancient Andean Lake Sediments
The Andean Altiplano hosts a repertoire of high-altitude lakes with harsh conditions for life. These lakes are undergoing a process of desiccation caused by the current climate, leaving terraces exposed […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço Paves The Way In The Field Of Exoclimatology
Three papers about “hot jupiter” WASP-76 b, led by Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço researchers, will be the foundation for understanding the global climate of a giant exoplanet.