Topic: New Planets

Photo of an Extrasolar Planet
Astronomers have released the first picture of a potential extrasolar planet that orbits a sun-like star. The newly-imaged planet may alter our understanding of planetary formation.

Listening to Planets
Scientists are beginning to understand radio emissions emitted by aurora on Earth. The new study will help future astronomers search for extrasolar planets by listening for the sounds they make.

More SuperEarths Discovered
Astronomers have announced a breakthrough in the field of extra-solar planets. They have identified 45 potential super-Earths,showing that these planets may be present around one out of every three solar-like stars.

Small Planet, Small Star
Astronomers have discovered the smallest yet observed extrasolar planet. The planet is only three times more massive than Earth, and has proven that low-mass stars may be good candidates for hosting Earth-like planets.

A Dot in the Void
Astronomers have constructed an image of material around the star AB Aurigae that appears to be coalescing into a celestial body. The finding will help scientists understand the early stages of planetary formation.

Witnessing a Planet's Birth
Astronomers have identified the youngest forming planet yet seen. The discovery is providing a window into the early stages of planet formation and may help in the search for distant, habitable worlds.

Searching for Earth
More than 250 planets have been found orbiting distant stars. Most of them are “hot Jupiters,” giant planets orbiting close to their stars, unlikely places for life to take hold. NASA’s Kepler mission hopes to find habitable planets like Earth. Or, perhaps, to discover that there aren’t many of them around to find.

An Earth Hidden in Dust
Astronomers are hoping that a small, dusty disk around a nearby star is hiding Earth-like planets. Using the Subaru telescope, the team is hoping to obtain the first image of a terrestrial exoplanet by observing the young star FN Tau.

Planets of Scale
Astronomers have found two planets that resemble small versions of Jupiter and Saturn in a distant solar system. The discovery suggests that solar systems like our own may not be rare in the Universe.

Hunting Earths with EPOXI
In 2005, NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft directed an impactor into comet Tempel 1 and collected valuable information about the composition of comets. Now the spacecraft is turning its largest telescope toward the stars in order to search for exosolar planets.