W. M. Keck Observatory Archives - Astrobiology

The NIRC2 image of dust around a young star named HD34282 (left) produced using an algorithm to construct images from aperture masking interferometry data. The light from the star is removed and its location is marked with a star symbol in all panels. The model that reproduces the data (middle) includes a circular inner structure around the star, which may be an envelope of dust. There is also a large protoplanetary disk around both the star and the inner structure. Between the inner structure and the protoplanetary disk is a ~40 AU gap, where planets may be forming. On the right is the image of the model after it is passed through the algorithm used on the left. This is done to test if the model can visually reproduce the data. Credit: Christina Vides / University of California Irvine / W. M. Keck Observatory.

Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release

Astronomers Reveal Insights Into Exoplanet Formation

by Keith CowingNovember 6, 2025November 6, 2025

Astronomers using W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island have taken the closest-ever look at the dusty regions where planets form, offering new insight into the earliest stages of […]

Disk-averaged JWST spectra of Titan. Top, NIRSpec. Bottom, MIRI (channels 1B–3C). The main absorption and emission bands (the latter labelled with an asterisk) are shown, as well as spectral transmission windows where Titan’s surface can be seen (grey shaded regions). -- Nature

Astrochemistry, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Titan, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Evidence Of Clouds Bubbling Up Over Titan’s Northern Hemisphere

by Keith CowingMay 14, 2025May 14, 2025

Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – Astronomers using W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island have, for the first time, found evidence for cloud convection in the northern hemisphere of Titan, Saturn’s […]

Artist conception of 126 planets in the latest TESS-Keck Survey catalog is based on data including planet radius, mass, density, and temperature. Question marks represent planets requiring more data for full characterization. CREDIT W. M. Keck Observatory/Adam Makarenko larger image

Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Stellar Cartography, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

International Planet Hunters Unveil TESS-Keck Survey Catalog Of Strange New Worlds

by Keith CowingMay 23, 2024May 23, 2024

While thousands of planets have been discovered around other stars, relatively little is known about them. A NASA catalog featuring 126 exotic, newly discovered worlds includes detailed measurements that allow […]

The Masses (or M sin i values or mass estimates) vs. semi-major axes of the KGPS-I transiting planets and companions. For systems with a giant planet (M sin i > 0.3 MJ), the circle fill color corresponds to the maximum detected companion mass in the system (capped at 100 Jupiter masses), and the edge color encircling each point corresponds to the planetary system. Black dots correspond to transiting planets in our survey for which giant planets were not detected. Planet masses or M sin i values are reported where they are measured, but mass estimates are used for m ≲ 3 × 10−2MJ (see text for details). Companions that have eccentric, stellar-mass companions at large separations (KOIs 2169 and 3158, yellow) have planets that are smaller and closer to their stars than the typical transiting planets from the KGPS sample, whereas transiting planets that have giant planet companions (non-yellow colors) have comparable sizes and orbits to the transiting planets without detected giant planet companions. -- -- astro-ph.EP "The Kepler Giant Planet Search. I: A Decade of Kepler Planet Host Radial Velocities from W. M. Keck Observatory" -- astro-ph.EP The Kepler Giant Planet Search. I: A Decade of Kepler Planet Host Radial Velocities from W. M. Keck Observatory (older version) -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Astrophysicists Publish Kepler Giant Planet Search, An Aid To “Figure Out Where To Find Life”

by Keith CowingDecember 21, 2023December 21, 2023

A team of astrophysicists led by Lauren Weiss, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Notre Dame, created the first-ever catalog of small, Earth-like […]

Detection of a binary companion around HD 148352. (a) The left panel illustrates the point spread function of the host star (red cross) from a median collapsed spectral cube of a 30-second single exposure reduced by the OSIRIS data reduction pipeline. (b) The right panel shows the combined detection map from ≈ 30 minutes of OSIRIS-Kn5 observations. The signal of the host star has been modeled out and the signal of the companion is highlighted by the blue dot. The S/N ≈ 34 detection at ∆y = ∆x = −0.08” from the host star is likely a previously undetected M dwarf binary companion. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Detecting Exoplanets Closer to Stars with Moderate Spectral Resolution Integral-Field Spectroscopy

by Keith CowingMay 17, 2023May 17, 2023

While radial velocity surveys have demonstrated that the population of gas giants peaks around 3 au, the most recent high-contrast imaging surveys have only been sensitive to planets beyond ∼ […]

Abnormally High Alcohol And Mystery Heat Source Detected On Comet Wirtanen

by Keith CowingJune 29, 2021

Comet 46P/Wirtanen was releasing an unusual amount of alcohol as it made its historic flyby of Earth two and a half years ago. That’s one of the findings from the […]