Planet Formation: Unravelling the Mysteries of Our Cosmic Origins Understanding how planets form is fundamental to astronomy, as it not only sheds light on the origins of our own Solar System but also informs the search for life beyond Earth. Recent decades have seen remarkable advances in our understanding, driven by new theories, improved telescopes,… Read More »
Planet formation is a complex and multi-faceted process occurring within protoplanetary disks that surround young stars. Several theories have been proposed to explain how planets emerge from these disks, with the most widely accepted models being the core accretion model and the gravitational instability model. Recent advancements in observational astronomy and computational modelling have refined… Read More »
Introduction There is a Youtube video by Anton Petrov at the end of this article ( I have also added a couple of his other videos on other discoveries about simple organisms) with an important update on how some simple organisms are rewqriting what we thought we knew and giving clues as to how cells,… Read More »
Citation – “The Roasting Marshmallows Program with IGRINS on Gemini South. II. WASP-121 b has Superstellar C/O and Refractory-to-volatile Ratios“ Peter C. B. Smith et al 2024 AJ 168 293 The study focuses on WASP-121b, a famous ultra hot Jupiter, using the IGRINS instrument on the Gemini South telescope. The goal is to understand the planet’s atmospheric composition and what… Read More »
“An evaporite sequence from ancient brine recorded in Bennu samples”. Nature (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08495-6 In a groundbreaking study published in Nature on January 29, 2025, scientists have unveiled remarkable findings from samples collected from the asteroid Bennu. These samples provide unprecedented insights into the early solar system’s chemistry and the potential origins of life on Earth.… Read More »
Citation: Smith, J. et al. (2025). “Characterising Exoplanetary Atmospheres: Insights from Recent Observations.” Astronomy & Astrophysics, 625, A1. In the ever-evolving field of astronomy, the study of exoplanets, planets orbiting stars beyond our Solar System, has captivated scientists, enthusiasts and the general public alike. A recent publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics sheds light on the complex atmospheres… Read More »
Astronomers have identified a new type of celestial event that challenges traditional understanding of white dwarf stars and their explosive behaviour. Dubbed “millinovae,” these phenomena are faint but fascinating, marking an exciting addition to the family of stellar explosions. What Are Millinovae? Millinovae are transient events occurring in binary star systems where a white dwarf—a… Read More »
In a new Paper, published in Nature, published on 22 Jan 2025, on J. Teiser, J., Penner, J., Joeris, K. et al. The growth of super-large pre-planetary pebbles to an impact erosion limit. Nat Astron (2025) investigate how tiny particles in space, called “pebbles,” grow into larger clusters, which are critical in the formation of planets. Understanding this process… Read More »
The Moon holds key clues about how Earth and the other inner planets of the Solar System formed. Scientists debate two main theories of planet formation: slow, chaotic growth from planetesimal collisions, or rapid growth by accumulating tiny particles called pebbles. This study explores whether the Moon’s formation can help decide between these two ideas.… Read More »
Image: Courtesy of Universe Today, shows two white dwarf stars merging In a recent paper by Michael Tucker he has investigated Type Ia supernova, publishing his findings in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Association, his paper can be found HERE, but here is a simplified overview – I hope it does it justice. When… Read More »
Humans like to consider themselves the most intelligent animal on Earth, and many argue that is the case because we have built cities, processed metals, built machines, conquered every environment on Earth and now we are starting to explore the deep oceans and space – but does this make us “intelligent” or just clever and… Read More »
ARTICLE IN PROGRESS, IT WILL UPDATED AND EXTENDED PERIODICALLY. Getting to Mars The race is on – within 20 years humanity will have established itself on the lunar surface, with at least 1 permanent settlement, likely more as the Chinese go it alone, but the plans also involve human boots on the surface of Mars… Read More »
This is an amazing piece about the Scottish Astronomer Royal, Catherine Heymans, who contracted Covid in 2022 and has been continuing to work despite it turning into long Covid and decimating her life. This is a well written article that demonstrates how devastating COVID can become, but how you can also fight it – with… Read More »
Engineers at the NASA/CalTech operated Jet Propoulsion Laboratory (JPL) have found an ingenious way to entend the life of the aging spacecraft – the only one to visit the ice giants, Uranus and Neptune and is now sending back vital data about the region beyond the Heliosphere – the region where the Sun’s magnetic field… Read More »
A lot of people out there have an interest in the heavens to one extent or another, some take it to the level of professional qualifications, some have simply educated themselves and know as much, if not more, than some professional astronomers – but the educational information available on the internet is a mixed bag… Read More »
Where should we look for life? Developed in 1961 by the late Frank Drake, a giant of the SETI community, it was an initial attempt to ascertain how many intelligent civilisations might exist that humanity could potentially communicate with. Every parameter was a best guess, nothing definitive was known, and whilst our knowledge has improved… Read More »
This article was originally published by the Australian National University and all rights are reserved by them. Supergiant star Betelgeuse smaller, closer than first thought Friday, October 16, 2020 — It may be another 100,000 years until the giant red star Betelgeuse dies in a fiery explosion, according to a new study by an international team of researchers. The study, led by Dr Meridith Joyce from The… Read More »
Researchers have concluded that the molten rock and cooled volcanic glass present on the surface of Lava-Ocean Planets is unlikely to be the cause of their brightness, some of which have an albedo higher than Earth. This is intriguing, these lava-Ocean worlds are similar in size to Earth but whizz around their host star so… Read More »
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