Scientists have measured the composition of the hot Jupiter exoplanet WASP-77Ab as the first step in creating a catalog of exoplanetary atmospheres.
Nov 24th: Atmospheric Composition of Distant Hot Jupiter Measured
Tag: The Daily Space
Nov 10th: Searching for Planets: New Mission Goes Rogue; Possible Extragalactic Exoplanet Found
A proposed mission called CLEoPATRA will look for rogue planets not orbiting any star. Meanwhile, a possible planet has been discovered in the Whirlpool Galaxy and could be the first planet found outside the Milky Way.
Oct 26th: Pluto’s Atmosphere Freezing Out
Scientists analyzed the results of a stellar occultation when Pluto passed in front of a distant star and found that Pluto’s atmosphere is freezing. More about it at #365DaysOfAstro
Oct 13th: Climate Change: Oxygen, Dinosaurs, Ice & Earth
From the Great Oxidation Event to how Earth is dimming, we look at a selection of stories about how climate changes have affected the Earth in the distant past, the recent past, and the current time.
Oct 6th: Clouds Detected on Exoplanet WASP-127b
Using data from the Hubble Telescope and the ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, a team of scientists have successfully detected clouds on an exoplanet and even measured their altitude.
Sep 29th: Early Cambrian Formation Hides Multicellular Algae Fossils
The discovery of multicellular algae specimens in an early Cambrian formation in China provides evidence of the change from cyanobacteria to more complex organisms with external membranes and cell walls.
Sep 23rd: Simple Physics Explains Diamond Shapes of Ryugu & Bennu
Using a simple model based on granular physics, like those used for modeling sand or sugar deposits, scientists have recreated the diamond shape of asteroids Ryugu and Bennu
Sep 18th: New Class of Exoplanet Could Accelerate the Search for Life
Hycean worlds have hydrogen-rich atmospheres & are covered in oceans, making them prime candidates for the search for life outside our own solar system. #65DaysOfAstro
Sep 8th: Light Echoes Around A Black Hole
Based on X-ray detections from the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, scientists used the Chandra X-ray Observatory and found rings called light echoes moving out from a black hole and its companion star, reflecting off the surrounding dust clouds.
Aug 31st: Evidence for Icy Crust Found at Ceres’ Occator Crater
Using a neutron spectrometer onboard the Dawn spacecraft, scientists have found elevated concentrations of hydrogen in Ceres’ Occator Crater, which provides evidence of an icy crust.