Cross-correlation function (CCF) of our KPIC spectrum of HD 33632 Ab. Credit: Hsu et al., 2024. Using the Keck II telescope in Hawaii, astronomers have observed a nearby brown dwarf known as HD 33632 Ab. Results of the observational campaign, presented in a paper published May 14 on the pre-print server arXiv, provide more insights…
Category: Planets
TESS finds intriguing world sized between Earth and Venus
Gliese 12 b’s estimated size may be as large as Earth or slightly smaller—comparable to Venus in our solar system. This artist’s concept compares Earth with different possible Gliese 12 b interpretations, from one with no atmosphere to one with a thick Venus-like one. Follow-up observations with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope could help determine…
Student's comparative analysis of primitive asteroids provides context for further research, future NASA missions
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The primitive asteroids that UCF physics doctoral student Brittany Harvison studies carry with them traces of their origins and billions of years of our solar system’s history. Harvison pored through a library of infrared telescope data to analyze the spectral composition of 25 members of the Erigone family of primitive asteroids…
Compared to billions of years ago, Venus has almost no water: New study may reveal why
Venus today is dry thanks to water loss to space as atomic hydrogen. In the dominant loss process, an HCO+ ion recombines with an electron, producing speedy H atoms (orange) that use CO molecules (blue) as a launchpad to escape. Credit: Aurore Simonnet / Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics / University of Colorado Boulder…
Exploring the depths: How iron snow could unlock the secrets of life on Europa
Conceptual diagram for the proposed AMD-analog iron snow model. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316452121 Ever since the tantalizing discovery of icy ocean worlds within our own solar system, such as Europa and Enceladus, scientists have been captivated by the possibility of life lurking beneath their frozen surfaces. The question…
Astronomers determine Mars may face more potentially hazardous asteroids than Earth
Upper left (right) panel: Numbers (Frequencies) of Earth-CAPHAs and Mars-CAPHAs obtained from simulations and actual observations. Lower left panel: Distribution of relative distances between CAPHAs and the planet. The relative distance of a CAPHA in percentage is defined as the ratio between its 𝑟min and 𝑟crit (0.05 au for Earth-CAPHAs and 0.036 au for Mars-CAPHAs)….
Astronomers discover WASP-193b, a giant planet with a density similar to that of cotton candy
WASP-193 b as an exquisite target for atmospheric characterization. a, Synthetic transmission spectrum model and best-fit model for the injection-retrieval test for a single JWST/NIRSpec/Prism transit of WASP-193 b. Models and tests are produced with the TIERRA pipeline . b, Posterior probability distributions of the key planetary properties retrieved, showcasing that one single JWST visit can yield…
New study delves into ozone's influence on exoplanetary climate
Artist’s impression of the exoplanet Proxima Centauri b. Credit: ESO/M. KORNMESSER. In the quest for life beyond our solar system, a new study delves into the atmospheric dynamics of planet Proxima Centauri b, illuminating ozone’s pivotal role in shaping planetary climates. This research signifies a significant leap forward in our understanding of habitable exoplanets. The…
TESS discovers a rocky planet that glows with molten lava as it's squeezed by its neighbors
Volcanic exoplanet illustration. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Dani Player UC Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kane had to double-check his calculations. He wasn’t sure the planet he was studying could be as extreme as it seemed. Kane had never expected to learn that a planet in this faraway star system is covered with so many active volcanoes…
Study reveals mechanisms of hydrodynamic escape in low-mass exoplanets
Various driving mechanism affecting the hydrodynamic escapes in low-mass exoplanets. Credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences / Guo Jianheng. A study published in Nature Astronomy and conducted by Guo Jianheng from the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences offers a perspective on the violent atmospheric escape processes of low-mass exoplanets, specifically a process known…