chemical composition of the early cosmos was originally limited to hydrogen and helium. Heavier elements essential for planet formation—such as carbon, iron, silicon, and oxygen—were absent until the first generation of stars, known as Population III...

Scientists have modeled four potential visions for Earth’s distant future, each promising to reshape our climate, oceans, and the survival of all life. While the map of the world appears fixed, the surface of the Earth is in a constant state of flux....

Explore key differences between meteors, asteroids, and comets. Discover origins, characteristics, and fascinating facts about these space objects. Human curiosity about celestial objects has always drawn our gaze upward, leading us to question and...

Scientists discover nearby exoplanet with unique features that set it apart, sparking excitement for further study. A new rocky super‑Earth, designated Gliese 3378b, has been confirmed orbiting a nearby red dwarf only 25 light‑years from Earth. The...

Astronomers may have discovered a mysterious exomoon that defies known satellite behavior, marking a potential breakthrough after decades of searching. Astronomers have identified a massive object, comparable to Jupiter, that appears to circle a brown...

New gravity measurements have uncovered a hidden structure deep within Mars, potentially rewriting our understanding of the Red Planet’s evolutionary history. New data gathered from NASA’s retired InSight mission has revealed that the interior of Mars...

central binary stars is a protoplanetary disk—a vast, rotating ring of material that serves as the raw ingredient for planet formation. Within this disk, researchers have pinpointed two distinct protoplanets, designated WISPIT 2b and WISPIT 2c, which...

NASA Curiosity discovers wave‑shaped ridges in hard rock, hinting at a new water history on Mars that could rewrite the planet’s final chapter. High on the slopes of Mount Sharp, a narrow strip of unusually tough rock preserves a series of evenly...

Astronomical Center and CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College, investigated whether the fundamental processes of planet formation—typically associated with calm, young stars—could survive the extreme conditions of an AGN. Their findings, published...

Webb has discovered record-breaking brown dwarfs just twice the mass of Jupiter, challenging existing theories on how stars and planetary bodies form. The James Webb Space Telescope has pushed the boundaries of stellar formation theory, identifying a...

Astronomers have detected a faint signal in a star’s pulse that could reveal a hidden exoplanet, offering a rare glimpse into an elusive planetary system. Astronomers have leveraged the rhythmic pulsations of a rare class of stars to hunt for elusive...

Did Venus once have a moon? New tidal models suggest an ancient satellite may have spiraled inward and been destroyed by the planet’s gravitational forces. Venus is currently a desolate world without a moon, but new research suggests that this barren...

NASA’s analysis of samples from asteroid Bennu reveals a surprising origin story linked to Jupiter’s early movements and the formation of our solar system. New analysis of extraterrestrial material returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has provided a...

New carbon monoxide data suggests Neptune and Uranus formed through different chemical processes, revealing distinct histories for our solar system’s giants. Though they are often grouped together as the solar system’s “ice giants,” new research...

and F150W2 filters are shown in blue and black, respectively. Credit: Astronomical Journal Challenging Models of Planet Formation Webb’s infrared precision also provided a new, clearer picture of the size distribution within these distant populations....

New research analyzing decades-old NASA data has uncovered a hidden clue about Mercury’s past that could reshape our understanding of how the planet formed. New research suggests Mercury has undergone significantly more contraction than previously...

be anomalous, the current data offers the first clear look at how these differences influence the broader narrative of planet formation. Interpreting the Dust Composition The research team categorized the disks into two distinct profiles: silica-rich...

molecules across the different stellar systems. This indicates that the chemical “recipes” available for planet formation are highly individualized, rather than uniform across the galaxy. The first results from the COMPASS project were detailed in seven...

Astronomers may have found the first exomoon beyond our solar system – a Jupiter‑mass companion orbiting a brown dwarf. Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, astronomers have identified a Jupiter‑sized body orbiting a brown...

Carlos Briones. From interstellar clouds to planetary surfaces Molecular clouds serve as cradles for star and planet formation. Organic compounds synthesized on icy dust grains can become incorporated into protoplanetary disks, later preserved in...