Eva H. L. Bodman and Alice Quillen 2016 ApJ 819 L34
A large, closely traveling cluster of tens or hundreds of comets (depending on the size) can fit the observed depths and durations of the unusual transits in the KIC 8462852 light curve.
Beverly J. Smith et al 2016 AJ 151 63
A study of interacting vs. spiral galaxies demonstrates that either the efficiency of star formation per region is higher in interacting galaxies, or there is more interstellar gas per star-forming clump in them.
Eric D. Lopez and Jonathan J. Fortney 2016 ApJ 818 4
If hot Jupiters gain their large sizes by inflation due to stellar irradiation, then non-inflated gas giants at moderate orbital periods could “re-inflate” as their host stars evolve.
Hideko Nomura et al 2016 ApJ 819 L7
ALMA observations indicate the presence of a gap and a ring in the protoplanetary disk around Tw Hya, located at ~25 and ~41 AU from the central star, and associated with the CO snow line at ~30 AU.
Patrick M. Ogle et al 2016 ApJ 817 109
Newly discovered “super spiral galaxies” — giant, massive spiral galaxies as optically luminous as elliptical brightest cluster galaxies — may be a remnant population of unquenched, massive disk galaxies.
D. W. Gerdes et al 2016 AJ 151 39
Two new Trojan asteroids were discovered in stable orbits around Neptune’s leading Lagrange point — the 8th and 9th such objects found. Neptune Trojans help constrain the evolution of our solar system.