An artist’s impression of the exoplanet in close orbit to a star.
ESA, NASA, G. Tinetti (University College London, UK & ESA) and M. Kornmesser (ESA/Hubble)
Jonti Horner, University of Southern Queensland; Jake Clark, University of Southern Queensland; Rob Wittenmyer, University of Southern Queensland e Stephen Kane, University of California, Riverside
A solitary planet in an eccentric orbit around an ancient star may help astronomers understand exactly how such planetary systems are formed.
There has been much excitement this week about the possibility of water – and life – on some newly discovered exoplanets. But we can look closer to home for evidence of ET.
An artist’s concept of what it could look like on the surface of one of the exoplanets of TRAPPIST-1.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Several of the newly-discovered exoplanets orbiting a small star appear to be locked in an intricate dance that hints at how such planetary systems can form.
Artist’s impression of what the view might be like from the surface of the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1f.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Churchill allowed science to flourish. Without a similar attitude in today’s politics, we may hit a bottleneck for life that leaves a Universe without a single human soul to enjoy it.
Have we really discovered other “Earth-like” planets orbiting around other stars? Understanding what we do and do not know about exoplanets is the key to answering this question.
ESO/L. Calcada/N. Risinger/Reuters
Over the last 20 years, advances in the field of exoplanet discovery have excited the imaginations of scientists and enthusiasts alike. But we’re in position to know yet whether a planet is habitable.
The discovery of the year was the first detection of gravitational waves.
LIGO/T. Pyle