A look at some of the more obscure methods astronomers use to detect planets around other stars, in the second of a two-part series on finding world’s elsewhere in the universe.
In the Exoplanet Era, we are learning that planets abound in the cosmos.
ESO/M. Kornmesser
Astronomers have discovered more than 3,000 planets around other stars, so far. In the first of a two-part series we look at how they find world’s elsewhere in the universe.
Artist’s impression of Planet Nine.
Tomruen, nagualdesign; background taken from File:ESO
We take our understanding of the solar system for granted, but it took centuries to figure out. The original writings of Ptolemy, Copernicus, Galileo and others show how they sparked a revolution.
Alpha Centauri is actually the outer star (bottom right) of The Pointers, which point to the Southern Cross.
Y. Beletsky (LCO)/ESO
A US$100-million plan has been announced to send tiny probes out in space in search of life elsewhere in the universe. But are they looking in the right place?
Artist’s impression: Looking back 12.9-billion km towards the sun and the inner solar system from Sedna, one of the recently discovered minor planets in the Kuiper belt.
NASA, ESA and Adolf Schaller
The search for new objects, including new planets, in our solar system has turned up some interesting finds. There have been a few failures over the years too.
Tanya Hill, Museums Victoria Research Institute e Jonti Horner, University of Southern Queensland
Scientists say they have evidence that the solar system has an extra planet, bigger than Earth and way beyond Pluto. So how come we never knew this before?
NASA’s Juno probe will be the fastest object humanity has ever created when it approaches Jupiter.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
From the high-speed journey to Jupiter to solar eclipses, meteor showers and planetary alignments visible in the skies above – add these space highlights to your 2016 calendar.
In the long lead-up to our ultimate flyby of Pluto, space science has reconfigured our notions of what it means to be a solar system, a planet, a world.
New Horizons’ look at Pluto’s Charon-facing hemisphere reveals intriguing geologic details that are of keen interest to mission scientists. This image was taken on July 11, 2015, when the spacecraft was 4 million km from Pluto.
NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI
The New Horizons spacecraft is only hours away from its closest approach to Pluto. It’s hoped the brief encounter will help answer many questions about the oddball member of our solar system.