New Atlas

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Newly-discovered "super-Earth" is second-closest exoplanet to our Sun

Anthony Wood November 14, 2018

Astronomers have discovered a super-Earth located just six light-years from our planet, orbiting the nearest lone star to our Sun. Named for its parent star, the exoplanet Barnard's Star b has a mass roughly 3.2 times that of the Earth, and has a frigid surface temperature of -170 °C (-274 °F).

Artist's impression of the newly discovered exoplanet orbiting Barnard's Star

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Could we – and should we – build a laser lighthouse to make first contact with aliens?

Michael Irving November 6, 2018

Whether there’s life beyond Earth is one of the most profound questions we can ask. Making ourselves easier to find could be part of our first contact strategy. A new MIT study outlines a way to use existing or near-future tech to build a kind of laser lighthouse to signal to our cosmic neighbors.

An MIT study proposes building a laser lighthouse to signal to alien astronomers up to 20,000 ...

Space

Australian observatory hunts Earth-like planets by watching for wobbling stars

Michael Irving November 1, 2018

A new exoplanet hunting tool has been installed onto an Australian telescope. Dubbed Veloce, the instrument looks out for the wobble of a star caused by the gravitational tug of orbiting planets, and it specializes in red dwarfs, the most common type of star in the universe.

The Anglo-Australian Telescope in Siding Spring Observatory is home to a new planet-hunting instrument

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Kepler mission ends after nine years of planet hunting

David Szondy October 30, 2018

The pioneering planet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope has finally reached the end of its service life and will be switched off permanently. NASA announced today that the aging, unmanned spacecraft has run out of the propellant needed to keep it from tumbling and must be retired.

Space

Alien life could be wiped out by outbursts from violent young stars

Michael Irving October 21, 2018

The majority of stars in our Milky Way aren’t Sun-like – they’re the smaller and cooler red dwarfs. To determine how well these stars might be able to support life, A NASA program is using Hubble to monitor their flare activity, and the first results don’t paint a positive picture.

An artist's rendering of a red dwarf star, which could sterilize exoplanets with its intense radiation ...

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New moon rising? Astronomers spot evidence of first exomoon

Michael Irving October 3, 2018

Although it’s basically a sure thing that exomoons are out there, astronomers haven’t been able to spot any – until now. Scientists using NASA’s Hubble and Kepler space telescopes have found evidence of a large moon orbiting a gas giant planet some 8,000 light-years away.

An artist's impression of the exomoon which may have been discovered orbiting the distant planet Kepler ...

Space

First science image from NASA's TESS exoplanet hunter captures swathe of the southern sky

Nick Lavars September 18, 2018

NASA today shared the first science image captured by its TESS space telescope, providing researchers with plenty of inspiration in their search for other worlds that might resemble our own.

One of the panels making up the first science image captured by NASA's TESS telescope. The ...

Space Feature

The astronomical legacy of the Kepler space telescope

David Szondy September 8, 2018

On June 6, 2018, NASA announced that the Kepler space observatory was reaching the end of its life.Now that Kepler is approaching its final days, let's look back at its remarkable nine-year career and how it has changed our views about the universe.

Space

Report recommends NASA build new space telescope to look at exoplanets directly

David Szondy September 8, 2018

A new report mandated by the US Congress recommends that NASA should embark on a new tranche of exoplanet missions to determine if the solar system is a rarity and whether life exists elsewhere in the universe.

Space

Last gasp? NASA fires up fading Kepler telescope for Campaign 19

Nick Lavars September 6, 2018

NASA isn’t done with the Kepler Space Telescope just yet. Its scientists have awoken the deep space probe to gather science data yet again, though with an unknown amount of fuel and a compromised performance, there’s no telling how successful the venture will be.

Kepler's fuel stocks are dwindling, but there may be life left in it yet