Planetary Formation
- All
- News
-
3D Mapping Reveals 52-Foot Megaripples from Chicxulub Asteroid in Louisiana
Massive megaripples, formed by the tsunami after the Chicxulub asteroid impact 66 million years ago, have been mapped deep beneath Louisiana using 3D seismic data. The formations, averaging 52 feet in height and spanning 900 square miles, offer new insights into the force of the ancient tsunami and its global impact. Scientists suggest these findin...
-
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...
-
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...
-
High-Resolution Observations Provide New Insights into Brown Dwarf HD 206893 B
Astronomers have gained significant insights into brown dwarf HD 206893 B using high-resolution spectroscopy. The study, led by UCSD's Ben Sappey, reveals the object's mass, temperature, and formation details, contributing to brown dwarf research. Located 133 light-years away, HD 206893 B's position within a debris disk invites future investigation...
-
SPHEREx Space Telescope to Map Cosmos in Infrared Light, Launching in February 2025
Set to launch in February 2025, NASA’s SPHEREx mission will provide a comprehensive map of the universe in infrared light. The telescope will examine 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars, shedding light on the universe’s formation, early conditions after the Big Bang, and the presence of water in planetary systems. SPHEREx will survey the...
-
New Research Sheds Light on Iron’s Role in Earth’s Core Dynamics
Cutting-edge research using ultrafast X-ray absorption spectroscopy has revealed the structural and thermal behaviour of iron under extreme conditions mimicking Earth’s core. Findings show a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure at 240 GPa and 5,345 K, challenging prior theories favouring a body-centred cubic (bcc) form. The study provides criti...
-
Mars Satellite Images Reveal Giant 'Kidney Beans,' Sparking Hints of Water and Life
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of frozen sand dunes in Mars' northern hemisphere, revealing unique formations halted by carbon dioxide frost during winter. Unlike Earth's desert dunes, which shift with wind, these Martian dunes remain stationary until spring thaw releases their icy grip. Scientists study these features to unders...
-
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...
-
'Kiss And Capture': Study Explains How Pluto's Largest Moon Was Formed
A new study suggests Pluto's largest moon, Charon, may have formed through a unique "kiss and capture" event billions of years ago.
-
New "Kiss-and-Capture" Theory Explains Pluto's Formation of Largest Moon, Charon
A new theory proposes that Pluto’s largest moon, Charon, was formed billions of years ago through a rare "kiss-and-capture" collision in the Kuiper Belt. This process involves two icy bodies briefly merging and then separating, leaving Charon in a stable orbit around Pluto. Unlike traditional collision models, this event challenges previous theor...
-
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...
-
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...
-
3D Mapping Reveals 52-Foot Megaripples from Chicxulub Asteroid in Louisiana
Massive megaripples, formed by the tsunami after the Chicxulub asteroid impact 66 million years ago, have been mapped deep beneath Louisiana using 3D seismic data. The formations, averaging 52 feet in height and spanning 900 square miles, offer new insights into the force of the ancient tsunami and its global impact. Scientists suggest these findin...
-
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...
-
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...
-
High-Resolution Observations Provide New Insights into Brown Dwarf HD 206893 B
Astronomers have gained significant insights into brown dwarf HD 206893 B using high-resolution spectroscopy. The study, led by UCSD's Ben Sappey, reveals the object's mass, temperature, and formation details, contributing to brown dwarf research. Located 133 light-years away, HD 206893 B's position within a debris disk invites future investigation...
-
SPHEREx Space Telescope to Map Cosmos in Infrared Light, Launching in February 2025
Set to launch in February 2025, NASA’s SPHEREx mission will provide a comprehensive map of the universe in infrared light. The telescope will examine 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars, shedding light on the universe’s formation, early conditions after the Big Bang, and the presence of water in planetary systems. SPHEREx will survey the...
-
New Research Sheds Light on Iron’s Role in Earth’s Core Dynamics
Cutting-edge research using ultrafast X-ray absorption spectroscopy has revealed the structural and thermal behaviour of iron under extreme conditions mimicking Earth’s core. Findings show a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure at 240 GPa and 5,345 K, challenging prior theories favouring a body-centred cubic (bcc) form. The study provides criti...
-
Mars Satellite Images Reveal Giant 'Kidney Beans,' Sparking Hints of Water and Life
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of frozen sand dunes in Mars' northern hemisphere, revealing unique formations halted by carbon dioxide frost during winter. Unlike Earth's desert dunes, which shift with wind, these Martian dunes remain stationary until spring thaw releases their icy grip. Scientists study these features to unders...
-
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...
-
'Kiss And Capture': Study Explains How Pluto's Largest Moon Was Formed
A new study suggests Pluto's largest moon, Charon, may have formed through a unique "kiss and capture" event billions of years ago.
-
New "Kiss-and-Capture" Theory Explains Pluto's Formation of Largest Moon, Charon
A new theory proposes that Pluto’s largest moon, Charon, was formed billions of years ago through a rare "kiss-and-capture" collision in the Kuiper Belt. This process involves two icy bodies briefly merging and then separating, leaving Charon in a stable orbit around Pluto. Unlike traditional collision models, this event challenges previous theor...
-
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...
-
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...
