astrobites
exoplanets
Transit Probabilities: Not As Simple As They Seem
Our simple formula for predicting the probability that an exoplanet will transit might miss something important.
Kepler Reaction Wheel Failure Cripples Spacecraft, but Mission Thrives
Although the reaction wheel failure incapacitates the telescope, we are still finding new Earth-sized planets in the plethora of existing data.
Why Does Nature Form Exoplanets So Easily?
Title: Why Does Nature Form Exoplanet Easily Author: Kevin Heng Institution: University of Bern, Center for Space and Habitability It’s an exciting time for planet hunters. Over the last few years, the search for extrasolar planets (“exoplanets” for short) has become one of the hottest topics in astronomy. During every exoplanet talk that I’ve attended [...]
Characterizing Planets with BEER
Faigler et al. apply their BEER algorithm to a collection of stars in the Kepler field and find a hot Jupiter missed by the Kepler Science Team, showing a new way to find and characterize planets without follow-up observations.
Magnets in the Deep: Lower Mantle Metallization in Rocky Exoplanets
The existence of a conducting layer near the core/mantle boundary has profound implications for the operation of a dynamo in rocky exoplanets and for our ability to detect exoplanetary magnetic fields.
How Hot is Too Hot?
Detailed atmospheric models reveal that planets can be habitable much closer to their host star than previously thought, provided they have desert-like climates. This expanded definition of the habitable zone increases the number of planets that could support life by a factor of 2-3.
The First Direct Spectroscopy of Multiple Planets in One System
Two years ago this month, I wrote my very first astrobite about the puzzlingly cloudy atmosphere of the outermost planet, HR 8799b; today I’m revisiting the system and looking at a recent paper which measured spectra of not just one planet, but the entire planetary system. This is the first comparative spectroscopic study of any multi-planet system (other than our own Solar System of course).
Towards Other Earths: Distinguishing Conditions on Exo-Continents Using Telescope Observations
As we discover exoplanets in droves and the first hints of habitable worlds emerge, astronomers are starting to look to the next step: the search for life on those worlds.
Hidden Siblings in Kepler Systems
It is likely that all exoplanet systems have 4 or more planets orbiting a single star. If we look at the number of specific orbital period ratios for both high multiplicity systems (4 or more transiting planets) and low multiplicity systems (2 transiting planets) we may verify this. We may also make statements about the formation and evolution of planetary systems as well as search for any additional planets.
Is Anyone Home in Cygnus?
Astronomers search for radio signals from exoplanets discovered by Kepler. They find nothing. What does this imply about intelligent life elsewhere in the Galaxy?
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