Planet Formation
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NASA's Webb Captures First Direct Images Of Carbon Dioxide Outside Solar System
This finding provides compelling evidence that the giant planets in HR 8799 formed through core accretion, a process similar to the formation of Jupiter and Saturn.
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Mysterious Planetary-Mass Objects May Form in Young Star System Clashes
Recent research challenges traditional views on planetary-mass objects, suggesting they may form through violent interactions between young star systems rather than standard planetary or stellar processes. Simulations indicate these clashes create dense gas filaments that evolve into free-floating objects, often in binary pairs. This discovery expl...
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Primordial Helium-3 May Be Locked in Earth’s Core, Study Finds
Helium-3, an isotope formed during the solar system's birth, may be trapped in Earth's core, a study suggests. Researchers at the University of Tokyo found that helium can mix with iron at extreme heat and pressure, allowing it to remain in Earth's solid core. This discovery could help determine how quickly the planet formed, with a rapid formation...
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Ancient Martian Ocean Shoreline Discovered Beneath Surface by Zhurong Rover
China's Zhurong rover has uncovered evidence of an ancient ocean on Mars, with ground-penetrating radar detecting a buried shoreline beneath the Utopia Basin. The rover’s scans revealed sloping sand layers similar to those found on Earth’s beaches, reinforcing theories of long-term water presence. Experts highlight that these formations are not...
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Hubble Captures Stunning Tarantula Nebula Image, Revealing Cosmic Dust and Star Formation
A new image from the Hubble Space Telescope highlights the Tarantula Nebula’s complex structure, featuring dense cosmic dust clouds and vibrant star-forming regions. This nebula, located 160,000 light-years away, plays a vital role in understanding stellar evolution. The captured details offer insights into how cosmic dust contributes to star and...
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Hubble’s New Image of Tarantula Nebula Showcases Cosmic Dust and Star Formation
NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking image of the Tarantula Nebula, located 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The image reveals intricate cosmic dust patterns and active star formation, offering valuable insights into the role of interstellar material in stellar evolution. Researchers are using the d...
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NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Stunning Feather-Shaped Iridescent Cloud on Mars
A remarkable feather-shaped iridescent cloud was spotted by NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars. Captured during a seasonal imaging campaign, this phenomenon provides valuable data on Martian weather patterns. Scientists believe such clouds help study particle sizes and atmospheric changes. The cloud, composed of either water ice or carbon dioxide ice...
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JWST Unveils HH 30’s Protoplanetary Disk, Showing Dust Grains and Jets
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured an extraordinary image of HH 30, a protoplanetary disk in the Taurus constellation. The dense dust disk conceals the central star, while bright jets extend outward, interacting with surrounding gas. Microscopic dust grains within the disk have been identified, playing a crucial role in planetary formation...
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NASA SPHEREx Telescope to Map the Universe and Search for Life’s Ingredients
NASA’s SPHEREx mission, set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 27, aims to explore the origins of the universe and the formation of galaxies. Using near-infrared light, the telescope will study over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way. It will also search for water and organic molecules in regions where ...
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Astronomers Discover Water and Carbon Dioxide in WASP-166 b's Atmosphere
Astronomers have detected water and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of WASP-166 b, a hot super-Neptune exoplanet. Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the findings also noted ammonia in smaller quantities. WASP-166 b, located 368 light-years away, is a massive planet that orbits its star every 5.44 days, with a temperature of 1,2...
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Organic Molecules in Space: A Key to Understanding Life's Cosmic Origins
Organic molecules, the building blocks of life, have been discovered across space—from interstellar clouds to asteroids and comets. Findings from missions like Rosetta, Hayabusa2, and Osiris-Rex reveal that these compounds existed long before the Sun formed. Scientists believe organic molecules survived planetary formation in protoplanetary disks...
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Researchers Unveil New Theory on the Formation of Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects
A team of researchers has proposed a new theory explaining the formation of Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs), identified in 2023 in the Orion Nebula. The theory involves photo erosion, where radiation from massive stars strips away mass from stellar cores, shaping JuMBOs into objects with masses comparable to Jupiter. This theory sheds light on...
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New Study Challenges Planet Formation Models with PDS 70b’s Chemical Mystery
A new study on PDS 70b, a forming exoplanet located 400 light-years away, reveals a significant mismatch between its atmospheric composition and the surrounding protoplanetary disk. This discovery casts doubt on existing planet formation models, suggesting that more research is needed to understand how planets gather materials and elements during t...
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Webb Telescope Confirms Planet-Forming Disks Last Longer in Early Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that planet-forming disks around stars in the early universe lasted far longer than previously believed. By studying NGC 346, a star cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud, Webb observed disks surviving for 20–30 million years, challenging current models. This discovery suggests that low-metal environmen...
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JWST Discovers Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects in Orion Nebula, Offering New Clues
The James Webb Space Telescope has identified dozens of Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs) in the Orion Nebula. These enigmatic rogue gas giant pairs orbit each other at distances of 25 to 400 AU. Researchers propose they could be failed stars formed under extreme radiation conditions, ejected planetary systems, or a mix of both. Simulations repl...
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NASA's Webb Captures First Direct Images Of Carbon Dioxide Outside Solar System
This finding provides compelling evidence that the giant planets in HR 8799 formed through core accretion, a process similar to the formation of Jupiter and Saturn.
-
Mysterious Planetary-Mass Objects May Form in Young Star System Clashes
Recent research challenges traditional views on planetary-mass objects, suggesting they may form through violent interactions between young star systems rather than standard planetary or stellar processes. Simulations indicate these clashes create dense gas filaments that evolve into free-floating objects, often in binary pairs. This discovery expl...
-
Primordial Helium-3 May Be Locked in Earth’s Core, Study Finds
Helium-3, an isotope formed during the solar system's birth, may be trapped in Earth's core, a study suggests. Researchers at the University of Tokyo found that helium can mix with iron at extreme heat and pressure, allowing it to remain in Earth's solid core. This discovery could help determine how quickly the planet formed, with a rapid formation...
-
Ancient Martian Ocean Shoreline Discovered Beneath Surface by Zhurong Rover
China's Zhurong rover has uncovered evidence of an ancient ocean on Mars, with ground-penetrating radar detecting a buried shoreline beneath the Utopia Basin. The rover’s scans revealed sloping sand layers similar to those found on Earth’s beaches, reinforcing theories of long-term water presence. Experts highlight that these formations are not...
-
Hubble Captures Stunning Tarantula Nebula Image, Revealing Cosmic Dust and Star Formation
A new image from the Hubble Space Telescope highlights the Tarantula Nebula’s complex structure, featuring dense cosmic dust clouds and vibrant star-forming regions. This nebula, located 160,000 light-years away, plays a vital role in understanding stellar evolution. The captured details offer insights into how cosmic dust contributes to star and...
-
Hubble’s New Image of Tarantula Nebula Showcases Cosmic Dust and Star Formation
NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking image of the Tarantula Nebula, located 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The image reveals intricate cosmic dust patterns and active star formation, offering valuable insights into the role of interstellar material in stellar evolution. Researchers are using the d...
-
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Stunning Feather-Shaped Iridescent Cloud on Mars
A remarkable feather-shaped iridescent cloud was spotted by NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars. Captured during a seasonal imaging campaign, this phenomenon provides valuable data on Martian weather patterns. Scientists believe such clouds help study particle sizes and atmospheric changes. The cloud, composed of either water ice or carbon dioxide ice...
-
JWST Unveils HH 30’s Protoplanetary Disk, Showing Dust Grains and Jets
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured an extraordinary image of HH 30, a protoplanetary disk in the Taurus constellation. The dense dust disk conceals the central star, while bright jets extend outward, interacting with surrounding gas. Microscopic dust grains within the disk have been identified, playing a crucial role in planetary formation...
-
NASA SPHEREx Telescope to Map the Universe and Search for Life’s Ingredients
NASA’s SPHEREx mission, set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 27, aims to explore the origins of the universe and the formation of galaxies. Using near-infrared light, the telescope will study over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way. It will also search for water and organic molecules in regions where ...
-
Astronomers Discover Water and Carbon Dioxide in WASP-166 b's Atmosphere
Astronomers have detected water and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of WASP-166 b, a hot super-Neptune exoplanet. Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the findings also noted ammonia in smaller quantities. WASP-166 b, located 368 light-years away, is a massive planet that orbits its star every 5.44 days, with a temperature of 1,2...
-
Organic Molecules in Space: A Key to Understanding Life's Cosmic Origins
Organic molecules, the building blocks of life, have been discovered across space—from interstellar clouds to asteroids and comets. Findings from missions like Rosetta, Hayabusa2, and Osiris-Rex reveal that these compounds existed long before the Sun formed. Scientists believe organic molecules survived planetary formation in protoplanetary disks...
-
Researchers Unveil New Theory on the Formation of Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects
A team of researchers has proposed a new theory explaining the formation of Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs), identified in 2023 in the Orion Nebula. The theory involves photo erosion, where radiation from massive stars strips away mass from stellar cores, shaping JuMBOs into objects with masses comparable to Jupiter. This theory sheds light on...
-
New Study Challenges Planet Formation Models with PDS 70b’s Chemical Mystery
A new study on PDS 70b, a forming exoplanet located 400 light-years away, reveals a significant mismatch between its atmospheric composition and the surrounding protoplanetary disk. This discovery casts doubt on existing planet formation models, suggesting that more research is needed to understand how planets gather materials and elements during t...
-
Webb Telescope Confirms Planet-Forming Disks Last Longer in Early Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that planet-forming disks around stars in the early universe lasted far longer than previously believed. By studying NGC 346, a star cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud, Webb observed disks surviving for 20–30 million years, challenging current models. This discovery suggests that low-metal environmen...
-
JWST Discovers Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects in Orion Nebula, Offering New Clues
The James Webb Space Telescope has identified dozens of Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs) in the Orion Nebula. These enigmatic rogue gas giant pairs orbit each other at distances of 25 to 400 AU. Researchers propose they could be failed stars formed under extreme radiation conditions, ejected planetary systems, or a mix of both. Simulations repl...
