We present the results of our Hubble Space Telescope program and describe how our image analysis methods were used to re-evaluate the habitability of some of the most interesting Kepler […]
extrasolar
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Stellar Activity Masquerading as Planets in the Habitable Zone of the M dwarf Gliese 581
The M dwarf Gliese 581 is believed to host four planets, including one (GJ 581d) near the habitable zone that could possibly support liquid water on its surface if it […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Effects of Refraction on Transit Transmission Spectroscopy: Application to Earth-like Exoplanets
We quantify the effects of refraction in transit transmission spectroscopy on spectral absorption features and on temporal variations that could be used to obtain altitude-dependent spectra for planets orbiting stars […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Water Vapor in the Spectrum of the Extrasolar Planet HD 189733b
We report near-infrared spectroscopy of the gas giant planet HD 189733b in transit. We used the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 (HST WFC3) with its G141 grism covering […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Hubble High Resolution Imaging of Kepler Small and Cool Exoplanet Host Stars
High resolution imaging is an important tool for follow-up study of exoplanet candidates found via transit detection with the Kepler Mission. We discuss here HST imaging with the WFC3 of […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Detection of Earth-mass Planets Around Active Stars: The Mass of Kepler-78b
Kepler-78b is a transiting Earth-mass planet in an 8.5 hr orbit discovered by the Kepler Space Mission. We performed an analysis of the published radial velocity measurements for Kepler-78 in […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Newly Spotted Frozen World Orbits in a Binary Star System
A newly discovered planet in a binary star system located 3,000 light-years from Earth is expanding astronomers’ notions of where Earth-like–and even potentially habitable–planets can form, and how to find […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Two Goldilocks Planets That Might Support Life are Proven False
Mysteries about controversial signals coming from a dwarf star considered to be a prime target in the search for extraterrestrial life now have been solved in research led by scientists […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
A Stellar-mass-dependent Drop in Planet Occurrence Rates
The Kepler Space Telescope has discovered a large number of planets up to one year periods and down to terrestrial sizes. The cool star subsample allows characterization of small planets […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
A Catalog of Nearby Cool Host-Stars for Habitable Exoplanets and Life
We present an all-sky catalog of 2970 nearby (d≲50 pc), bright ( J