[astro-ph.EP] Kinematic perturbations observed with ALMA in CO line emission provide evidence for a population of embedded giant protoplanets shaping the structure of protoplanetary disks.
ELT
![Early draft of a possible layout for the MPIA to test the Bertin-Alpao 13k DM. Key components are numbered and described in the text. This version makes use of polarization components to simplify the number of optical elements. -- [astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Development.png?resize=1200%2C712&ssl=1)
Posted inUncategorized
Development Of An Adaptive Optics Testbed At MPIA For The ELT/Planetary Camera And Spectrograph (PCS)
[astro-ph.IM] The Planetary Camera and Spectrograph (PCS) is a proposed second-generation instrument for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), dedicated to the direct imaging and characterization of exoplanets.
Posted inAstrochemistry
A Stellar Envelope Near The Black Hole Sgr A* Contains Water
[University of Cologne] Studies of the star IRS 3, located near the black hole at the centre of our galaxy, suggest that the star is emitting large quantities of gas […]
![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)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
A Broad Exploration Of Climate And Observability Of Close-in Rocky Exoplanets: Applications To Ross 128 b
[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 […]
![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 inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Nearby “Super Earth” May Be A Better Candidate For Life Than Previously Thought
[UT Austin] Using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory, astronomers have taken a closer look at a nearby exoplanet and discovered it may be more Earth-like than previously thought. The […]
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 inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Climates Of Terrestrial Exoplanets And Biosignatures
Understanding the climates of terrestrial exoplanets and the detectability of biosignatures is an inherently interdisciplinary challenge, requiring the integration of insights from Solar System exploration, exoplanet observations and climate science. […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Status Report
Maximizing The Sensitivity Of ELT To Habitable Worlds With A Space-based Starshade
The ELT will provide groundbreaking science across a wide range of areas, including small habitable-zone exoplanets; however, true Earth analogs in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars are generally beyond […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Proxima Centauri
Conclusive Tests For The RISTRETTO Proxima b Exoplanet Explorer
The RISTRETTO project, dedicated to observing Proxima b –the closest exoplanet to the Solar System — is reaching a new milestone: several key components of this high-precision spectrograph have been […]