Latest astronomy news

Researchers have identified a new exoplanet candidate, PALTA-1 b, orbiting an ultracool dwarf star located approximately 55 light-years away. By monitoring the star's precise position over eight years, the team detected subtle wobbles indicating the presence of a sub-Jupiter mass companion. This finding adds to the rare population of giant planets discovered around small, low-temperature stars....

Observations of the L3.5 dwarf LSPM J0036+1821 (also 2MASS 0036+1821) reveal persistent radio auroras similar to those found on Jupiter. By combining radio and optical data over four years, researchers confirmed a rotation period of approximately 3.08 hours and identified complex magnetic processes driven by electron interactions within the star's magnetosphere, shedding light on the magnetic activity of ultracool dwarfs....

The three-planet system orbiting the young orange dwarf K2-233 shows signs of dramatic atmospheric change. New analysis of radial velocity data confirms that these worlds are undergoing significant mass loss, with planet K2-233 d expected to shrink into either a thin-envelope sub-Neptune or a bare super-Earth over billions of years. Meanwhile, the inner planets K2-233 b and c are likely dominated by iron cores....

Observations of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-76 b show evidence of magnesium escaping from its upper atmosphere. By analyzing near-ultraviolet light, researchers identified high-altitude gas extending beyond the planet's gravitational influence. This finding, consistent with hydrodynamic escape, indicates that the planet is losing mass without requiring unusual chemical compositions....

Researchers have performed a detailed characterization of the exoplanet TOI-2211 b, a super-Earth orbiting an orange dwarf star. By combining data from multiple telescopes, the study identified the planet as a promising candidate for a hot water world. Additionally, the team detected a second, non-transiting planetary candidate within the same system, providing new insights into the architecture of this distant star system....

Researchers have measured the orbital alignment of a Neptune-mass planet around the hot star WASP-195. By observing the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, the study confirms that the planet maintains a spin-orbit alignment, providing insight into the migration history of this specific planetary system and helping to fill a data gap regarding smaller planets orbiting stars hotter than the sun....

A new warm Jupiter named HD 715 b has been confirmed orbiting the bright subgiant star HD 715. Identified initially through a single transit event captured by the TESS mission, follow-up observations have revealed the planet's orbital characteristics. This system is particularly notable because the host star is among the most massive known to harbor a transiting warm Jupiter, providing new data on orbital diversity....

Advanced statistical methods help clarify planetary signals hidden within precise radial velocity data. By systematically testing how individual measurements influence a model, researchers have refined the mass estimate of HD 119130 b, clarified the orbital architecture of the Gliese 4276 system, and confirmed the three-planet structure orbiting Gliese 357 by testing for predictive consistency....

Observations of the disintegrating rocky planet BD+05 4868 b reveal potential signatures of oxygen escaping from its surface. By analyzing the planet during transit, the recorded data suggest the presence of a mineral-vapor outflow. This finding provides insights into how intensely irradiated rocky worlds lose their material through evaporation processes....