From analytical studies of tidal heating, eclipses and planetary illumination, it is clear that the exomoon habitable zone (EHZ) – the set of moon and host planet orbits that permit […]
extrasolar
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Fluctuating Orbital Tilt Does Not Preclude Possibility of Life
A fluctuating tilt in a planet’s orbit does not preclude the possibility of life, according to new research by astronomers at the University of Washington, Utah’s Weber State University and […]
Posted inEducation and Outreach, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Exoplanet Education Guide
The discovery and characterization of exoplanets is one of the most exciting and fast-changing areas in modern astronomical research. As a result, Astronomy 101 instructors have had trouble keeping up […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Atmospheric Pressure on Exoplanets
NAI-funded astrobiologists at the University of Washington have developed a new method of gauging the atmospheric pressure of exoplanets, or worlds beyond the solar system, by looking for a certain […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Chemical Abundances of Stars With Brown Dwarf Companions
It is well-known that stars with giant planets are on average more metal-rich than stars without giant planets, whereas stars with detected low-mass planets do not need to be metal-rich. […]
Posted inBeta Pictoris, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
The Orbit of the Young Exoplanet beta Pictoris b
We present new astrometry for the young (12-21 Myr) exoplanet beta Pictoris b taken with the Gemini/NICI, Magellan/MagAO+Clio2, and Magellan/MagAO+VisAO instruments between 2009 and 2012. The high dynamic range of […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Aerosol Particles and Planetary Cloud Formation
Scientists recently discovered the source of naturally occurring aerosol particles in Earth’s atmosphere that play an important role in cloud formation. The particles in questions are known as ‘climate-active organic […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Cosmological Aspects of Planetary Habitability
The habitable zone (HZ) is defined as the region around a star where a planet can support liquid water on its surface, which, together with an oxygen atmosphere, is presumed […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Water Clouds in Y Dwarfs and Exoplanets
The formation of clouds affects brown dwarf and planetary atmospheres of nearly all effective temperatures. Iron and silicate condense in L dwarf atmospheres and dissipate at the L/T transition. Minor […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
The Gemini Planet Imager: First Light
The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) is a dedicated facility for directly imaging and spectroscopically characterizing extrasolar planets. It combines a very high-order adaptive optics system, a diffraction-suppressing coronagraph, and an […]