The Southwest Research Institute-led Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) instruments aboard ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft and NASA’s Europa Clipper made unique observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in late 2025. […]
astorgeology
Posted inAstrogeology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report
Subsiding Terrain On Mars
This observation features a plateau adjacent to subsiding terrain in Xanthe Terra, possibly traversed by a fault.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
A Systematic Study On The Properties Of Aromatic And Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Dust In Active Galactic Nuclei With AKARI Near-infrared Spectroscopy
Recent near- and mid-infrared (IR) observations reveal the existence of appreciable amounts of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbon dust in the harsh environments of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), the origins of […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Spectroscopic Characterization Of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS: Water Ice In The Coma
We present optical and near-infrared spectroscopy of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, obtained with Gemini-S/GMOS and NASA IRTF/SpeX on 2025 July 5 and July 14. The optical spectrum shows a red […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
The Refractory-to-ice ratio in Comet 67P: Implications on the Composition of the Comet-forming Region of the Protoplanetary Disk
Comets, asteroids, and other small bodies are thought to be remnants of the original planetesimal population of the Solar System. As such, their physical, chemical, and isotopic properties hold crucial […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Comets and Asteroids, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Icy Worlds, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report
An Estimate Of Resident Time Of The Oort Cloud New Comets In Planetary Region
We describe the result of our numerical orbit simulation which traces dynamical evolution of new comets coming from the Oort Cloud. We combine two dynamical models for this purpose.
Posted inAstrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Press Release
Does Distant Planet WASP-49 b Host Volcanic Moon Like Jupiter’s Io?
New research done at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory reveals potential signs of a rocky, volcanic moon orbiting an exoplanet 635 light-years from Earth. The biggest clue is a sodium cloud […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Discovery and Characterization of a Dense sub-Saturn TOI-6651b
We report the discovery and characterization of a transiting sub-Saturn exoplanet TOI-6651b using PARAS-2 spectroscopic observations. The host, TOI-6651 (mV≈10.2), is a sub-giant, metal-rich G-type star with [Fe/H]=0.225+0.044−0.045, Teff=5940±110 K, […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Debris Disks can Contaminate Mid-Infrared Exoplanet Spectra: Evidence for a Circumstellar Debris Disk around Exoplanet Host WASP-39
The signal from a transiting planet can be diluted by astrophysical contamination. In the case of circumstellar debris disks, this contamination could start in the mid-infrared and vary as a […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Status Report
How Planets Form by Pebble Accretion V. Silicate Rainout Delays Contraction of Sub-Neptunes
The characterization of Super-Earth-to-Neptune sized exoplanets relies heavily on our understanding of their formation and evolution.