Hunting Elusive SPRITEs with Spitzer
Spitzer has discovered several unusual flare-ups in nearby galaxies. What caused these mysterious events?
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Microlensing Discovery of an Earth-Mass Planet
An Earth-mass planet has recently been discovered around a star so small it may not even be a star!
Worlds Without Moons
The potential for liquid water is not the only factor when determining a planet’s habitability. One important consideration: whether the planet has a moon.
An Exploration of Dusty Galaxies
New measurements of a sample of dusty, star-forming galaxies have allowed us to learn more about the universe in its early years.
What Shaped Elias 2-27’s Disk?
The young star Elias 2-27 is surrounded by a massive disk with spectacular spiral arms. A new study examines what caused its appearance.
Habitability of the TRAPPIST-1 System
A new study challenges the habitability of the seven Earth-sized, terrestrial planets discovered around the M-dwarf star TRAPPIST-1.
New Discoveries Fill the Quasar Gap
Quasars are cleverly camouflaged at some high redshifts, making them tough to spot. Now there’s a way to detect these distant monsters in spite of their disguise.
PACMan to Help Sort Hubble Proposals
Every year, astronomers submit over a thousand proposals requesting time on the Hubble Space Telescope. A computer program may help sort these proposals in the future.
The Search for Ringed Exoplanets
Are planetary rings as common in our galaxy as they are in our solar system? A new study shows how to hunt for them — and then does!
ALMA Examines a Distant Quasar Host
A team of scientists has used ALMA to learn more about the host galaxy of the most distant quasar known.