A mysterious object has caused a long-lasting and extreme dimming of a distant star, but is this object a 'failed star' brown dwarf, or an exceptionally massive super-Jupiter exoplanet?
Astronomers have discovered a planetary system that appears to flip one of astronomy's most reliable rules on its head.
The planet is one of the best worlds for follow-up studies to determine whether it could be habitable or not.
"We've often seen the 'baby pictures' of planets forming, but until now, the 'teenage years' have been a missing link."
"A strong magnetic field is very important for life on a planet."
"In our solar system, the most massive moon is Ganymede, which is still extremely small compared to what we are inferring here."
The origin of super-Earths and sub-Neptunes has been revealed in a system of four young planets that are dramatically losing their thick atmospheres.
Astonishingly, we can identify molecules present in the atmospheres of exoplanets.
"The combination of extreme disk size, strong asymmetries, winds, and potential planet formation makes it the perfect laboratory for understanding how giant planets can form."
Astronomers have detected a "free floating" rogue planet the size of Saturn drifting through the Milky Way some 10,000 light-years from Earth.
