The atmospheres of exoplanets share some common properties, but also hold a few mysteries.
The Sky Of A Different Sun
We’ve observed the toxic atmosphere of a super-Earth 40 light years away.
What Makes A Planet A Planet?
When astronomers are asked “Why is Pluto no longer a planet?” the bigger question strikes at the heart of what a universal definition for a planet would be.
Distant Exoplanet Has Blue Skies
Not all planets have a blue sky. Mars, for example, with its much thinner atmosphere has more of a brown sky. Rayleigh scattering is a subtle effect, so it’s been difficult to observe beyond our solar system. But recently a team has observed Rayleigh scattering in the atmosphere of a planet about 100 light years away.
New Exoplanet May Have Detectable Atmosphere
We can determine a planet’s size and orbit from this method, but other properties such as its surface temperature or atmosphere can only be inferred. That may change with a newly discovered planet known as GJ 1132b.
All the Makings of a Planet
Pluto looks like it has all the makings of a planet, and yet astronomers still see fit to place it outside the realm of planets.
Ghost Planet
One of the biggest challenges in the search for exoplanets is distinguishing real evidence of a planet from random fluctuations that give a false positive.
How to Find Planets in the Shadows
There are astronomical methods that could allows us to see Earth-like worlds, and one of them is known as project Starshade.
Judging by the Size
The transit method is a great way to discover planets, but it has some serious limitations.