A new study from scientists in the UK suggests that atmospheric dust could increase the habitability of some exoplanets, especially those orbiting red dwarf stars. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/how-dust-could-make-some-exoplanets-more-habitable…
Tag: dwarf star
Super-Earths discovered orbiting nearby red dwarf
The nearest exoplanets to us provide the best opportunities for detailed study, including searching for evidence of life outside the solar system. In research led by the University of Göttingen, the RedDots team of astronomers has detected a system of super-Earth planets orbiting the nearby star Gliese 887, the brightest red dwarf star in the sky. Super-Earths are planets which have…
A 2nd exoplanet confirmed for Proxima Centauri
Astronomers at McDonald Observatory have confirmed a second planet – 7 times more massive than Earth – orbiting Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our sun. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/2nd-exoplanet-confirmed-proxima-centauri…
New ‘climate decoder’ to study potentially habitable exoplanets
What is the climate like on some potentially habitable exoplanets? Scientists have developed a new “decoder” to find out. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/exoplanets-climate-environmental-color-decoder…
Meet Regulus, the Lion’s Heart
The bright star Regulus is very prominent in the evening sky in May. It looks like a single point of light, but is really 4 stars. It’s the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/best-regulus-the-heart-of-the-lion…
Update on 2I/Borisov, the first known interstellar comet
The first known interstellar comet – 21/Borisov – probably came here from a red dwarf star, according to a new study of data from the Hubble Space Telescope. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/comet-21-borisov-comets-red-dwarf-stars-hubble-space-telescope…
Two (potentially) exciting new exoplanet discoveries
Scientists just announced 2 new exciting updates about exoplanets. One is a potentially habitable world similar in size and temperature to Earth. The other is a possible new planet – possibly with rings – orbiting the closest star to our sun, Proxima Centauri. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/exoplanets-kepler-1649c-proxima-centauri-c-nasa-seti-institute-sphere-vlt…
‘Space snowman’ is two stars merging together
Astronomers have identified a ‘bizarre’ ultra-massive white dwarf star that may be more than meets the eye. Known as WDJ0551+4135, this intriguing obj… Source: https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/335164/space-snowman-is-two-stars-merging-together…
Could K2-18b be habitable after all?
A new study by researchers at Cambridge University suggests that the giant exoplanet K2-18b – a mini-Neptune – may be more potentially habitable than previously thought. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/k2-18b-mini-neptune-exoplanets-habitability…
Two stars merged to form massive white dwarf
A massive white dwarf star with a bizarre carbon-rich atmosphere could be two white dwarfs merged together according to an international team led by University of Warwick astronomers, and only narrowly avoided destruction. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-03-stars-merged-massive-white-dwarf.html…