Planets

It Rains Liquid Iron on Exoplanet WASP-76b
It rains liquid iron on exoplanet WASP-76b. The discovery was made by astronomers using the ESO's Very Large Telescope. (March 12, 2020)

Exoplanet WASP-18b Has a Smothering Stratosphere Dominated by Carbon Monoxide
NASA says there are no signs of water on WASP-18b and the stratosphere is loaded with carbon monoxide. (December 4, 2017)

NASA Telescope Finds Seven Earth-Sized Planets in Habitable Zone Around a Single Star
Seven Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone have been found around a single star. The system is called TRAPPIST-1 (February 22, 2017)

Astronomers and Citizen Scientists Discover Oldest Known Planet-Forming Disk
Astronomers have found a star with the oldest known circumstellar disk. The red dwarf star is about 45 million years old. (October 21, 2016)

Planet Found in Habitable Zone Around Nearest Star to Earth
Astronomers have found a planet with a mass similar to that of Earth in the habitable zone around Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to our Sun (August 24, 2016)

Rocky Worlds Orbiting Star 40 Light Years From Earth Say Astronomers
Astronomers say there are three potentially habitable worlds orbiting a star located 40 light years from Earth. (July 20, 2016)

Astronomers Discover New Dwarf Planet Beyond Neptune
Astronomers have discovered a new dwarf planet beyond Neptune. It is named 2015 RR245. (July 11, 2016)

Newly Discovered Planet HD 131399Ab Has Three Suns
Astronomers have discovered a new planet that is in a triple star system. (July 7, 2016)

Astronomers Discover Youngest Fully Formed Exoplanet Ever Detected
Astronomers using NASA's Kepler Space Telescope have discovered the youngest fully formed exoplanet ever detected to date. (June 27, 2016)

Astronomers Say Kepler-62f Might be Able to Sustain Life
Astronomers say Kepler-62f might be able to sustain life. It is 1,200 light-years from Earth. (May 27, 2016)

Astronomers Find Three Potentially Habitable Planets 40 Light-years From Earth
Astronomers have found three potentially habitable planets located about 40 light-years from Earth. (May 2, 2016)

Exoplanet 55 Cancri e May Be a Lava World
The exoplanet 55 Cancri e may be a lava world. One half of the planet appears to be completely molten. (March 30, 2016)

Lonely Planet is 1 Trillion Kilometers Away From Its Star
A lonely planet is 1 trillion kilometers away from its star. The planet, named 2MASS J2126, was originally thought to be a free floating planet. (January 29, 2016)

51 Eridani b is First Exoplanet Discovered with Gemini Planet Imager
51 Eridani b is the first exoplanet discovered using the Gemini Planet Imager. It is described as a Jupter-like planet. (August 14, 2015)

Dying Stars May Rejuvenate Old Planets
Dying stars may help rejuvenate old gas giant planets. NASA says it has found tentative evidence for one such planet. (June 27, 2015)

Astronomers Find Planet Residing in a Quadruple Star System
Astronomers have found a planet residing in a quadruple star system. (March 6, 2015)

Astronomers Discover Ancient Star With 5 Earth-Sized Planets
Astronomers have discovered an ancient star with five Earth-sized planets. (January 27, 2015)

NASA Launches Series of Exoplanet Tourism Posters
NASA has launched an Exoplanet Travel Series featuring posters of what space tourism to the planets might be like. (January 8, 2015)

Eight More Exoplanets Found in Goldilocks Zone
Astronomers have discovered eight more exoplanets in the Goldilocks zone of their stars. (January 7, 2015)

100 Million Planets in Milky Way May Support Complex Life Say Astronomers
Astronomers report in a new study that 100 million planets in the Milky Way may support complex life. (June 10, 2014)

Two Exoplanets Discovered Orbiting Star 13 Light-years From Earth
Two exoplanets have been discovered orbiting Kapteyn's Star, a very old star located 13 light-years from Earth. (June 4, 2014)

Astronomers Discover a Mega-Earth in the Constellation Draco
Astronomers have discovered a new type of planet, called a Mega-Earth. It is located 560 light-years away in the constellation Draco. (June 2, 2014)

Exoplanet GU Psc b Takes 80,000 Years to Orbit Its Star
Exoplanet GU Psc b takes 80,000 years to orbit its star. The gas giant is 155 light years from our solar system. (May 13, 2014)

Exoplanet Beta Pictoris b has 8 Hour Days
Astronomers have determined the exoplanet Beta Pictoris b has 8 hour days. This is the firs time the length of exoplanet day has been measured. (April 30, 2014)

NASA Confirms Discovery of First Earth-Sized Planet in Habitable Zone of its Star
NASA has confirmed the discovery of the first Earth-sized planet located in the habitable zone of its star. The planet is Kepler-186f. (April 17, 2014)