https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/extrasolar_planets/ Extrasolar Planet News. Astronomers discover extrasolar planets in a nearby star system. Could extrasolar planets support life? Images, full-text articles. Free. en-us Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:11:58 EDT Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:11:58 EDT 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/extrasolar_planets/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081052.htm Ancient iron meteorites reveal that some of the Solar System’s first solid bodies were built mostly from tiny heat-forged rock beads called chondrules, while water-rich dust was largely excluded. The finding pushes this selective planet-building process back to within the Solar System’s first million years. Tue, 22 Sep 2026 23:06:29 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081052.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003712.htm Astronomers have confirmed a Jupiter-size planet less than a million years old, making Elias 2-24 b the youngest known planet and giving scientists a rare look at a world still being born. Its surprisingly rapid formation challenges leading theories about how giant planets come together, especially so far from their stars. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:00:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003712.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003703.htm New supercomputer simulations suggest JWST’s puzzling Little Red Dots are rapidly growing black holes from the early Universe. Extreme radiation may have helped create unusually massive black hole seeds, while dense surrounding gas allowed them to grow dozens of times faster than black holes can today. The simulated objects closely resemble the Little Red Dots seen by Webb. If correct, they could solve the mystery of how enormous black holes formed so soon after the Big Bang. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:45:48 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003703.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232132.htm A new study suggests Earth formed almost entirely from material in the inner Solar System, challenging the idea that water-rich material from beyond Jupiter played a major role. If correct, Earth’s water may have been present much closer to the young Sun than scientists previously thought. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:03:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232132.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232124.htm The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed surprising changes in the rings around Chariklo, a small object orbiting between Saturn and Uranus. Over just a few years, its inner ring became more opaque while its outer ring became less opaque. The results suggest that rings around small Solar System bodies may be much more dynamic than scientists previously believed. What is causing the changes remains a mystery. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:51:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232124.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232122.htm Venus may have once had a moon, but new research suggests the planet’s incredibly slow rotation could have doomed it. Computer simulations showed that instead of gradually drifting away like Earth’s moon, a Venusian moon would likely spiral inward until it crashed into the planet, with larger moons falling even faster. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:49:57 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232122.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260909231729.htm Scientists have discovered that the Moon-forming collision may have depended heavily on how hot and physically strong early Earth and Theia were. New simulations found that some impacts create the familiar disk of debris that later becomes the Moon, while others can produce an intact Moon in only about five hours. The results challenge the long-standing assumption that the enormous collision could be modeled as if both worlds behaved mostly like fluids. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:17:29 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260909231729.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260909005217.htm Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS contains exceptionally high levels of methanol, suggesting it formed under conditions very different from those that shaped most comets in our solar system. ALMA also revealed that tiny icy grains around the comet are releasing methanol like miniature comets, giving astronomers an unusually detailed look at an object from another star system. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 04:47:39 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260909005217.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260909005212.htm Two major alien-life announcements in 2025 generated enormous excitement, but most astrobiologists remained unconvinced. Only 6.6% of surveyed experts thought possible biological molecules on K2-18b probably represented extraterrestrial life, while 15.1% said the same about intriguing mineral patterns in a Martian rock. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 07:13:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260909005212.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260902234442.htm Star formation across the universe has fallen dramatically over the past 4.5 billion years, but astronomers have uncovered a surprising twist: the supply of neutral hydrogen, a key ingredient for making stars, has barely declined. Using China’s FAST radio telescope and data from roughly 2.5 million galaxies observed by DESI, researchers found that star formation was about 2.5 times higher 4.5 billion years ago, while neutral hydrogen levels were only about 1.4 times higher. Thu, 03 Sep 2026 03:48:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260902234442.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260901070523.htm NASA-funded studies suggest Earth’s climate has been influenced by both the Sun’s travels through dense regions of the Milky Way and the violent superflares of its youth. Those events may help explain ancient ice ages as well as how early Earth stayed warm enough for liquid water when the Sun was much dimmer. Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:25:48 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260901070523.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260831035213.htm NASA’s Roman Space Telescope has launched on a million mile journey to L2, where it will scan huge portions of the cosmos for clues about dark matter, dark energy, and distant worlds. With survey speeds roughly 1,000 times faster than Hubble and a torrent of 1.4 terabytes of data per day, Roman could uncover cosmic surprises astronomers have never seen before. Mon, 31 Aug 2026 05:23:21 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260831035213.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260828082345.htm Rocky planets may have been able to start forming just 100 million years after the Big Bang, thanks to enormous early supernovae that scattered planet-building elements across space. Simulations found enough solid material and water around a young star to suggest that Earth-like worlds could have appeared far earlier than previously believed. Mon, 31 Aug 2026 01:00:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260828082345.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260828082333.htm NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will combine Hubble-like detail with a field of view 100 times larger, giving astronomers a sweeping new way to explore the cosmos. Its observations could uncover hidden planets, map billions of cosmic objects, and help scientists unravel the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:54:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260828082333.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260827010514.htm Astronomers have captured their clearest image yet of Betelgeuse’s long-suspected companion, potentially ending a search that lasted about 100 years. The surprisingly massive hidden star could help explain Betelgeuse’s changing brightness and may influence its future supernova. Thu, 27 Aug 2026 08:43:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260827010514.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260822015141.htm Astronomers using JWST have discovered that massive early galaxies contain far more small, faint stars than expected. That hidden population could make some of these galaxies three to four times more massive than previous estimates. The finding makes it even harder to explain how enormous, mature galaxies formed so soon after the Big Bang. It could also suggest that planets around low-mass stars were more common in the early universe than scientists realized. Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:36:23 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260822015141.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260822015119.htm Astronomers have found stars that repeatedly skim past supermassive black holes, surviving each encounter while producing a new burst of light. In some systems, those flares mysteriously fade with every return. Researchers now think the key may be stars that were already spinning extremely fast before being captured. That rapid rotation could explain both the fading flares and how the stars ended up in such extraordinarily tight black hole orbits. Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:08:52 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260822015119.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260815064808.htm Astronomers may finally have a clue to what happens to the mysterious “little red dots” that crowded the early universe. By studying a spiral galaxy nicknamed the “Saguaro,” researchers found a compact, bright red center that closely resembles these distant objects—but with something Webb usually can’t see around them: a full galaxy. When the team simulated what the Saguaro would look like much farther away, its spiral structure essentially vanished, leaving only the bright red core. Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:56:43 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260815064808.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260813045545.htm JWST has uncovered surprising clues that Neptune’s strange inner moons may be the wreckage of an ancient cosmic catastrophe. Researchers detected clay-like minerals on Larissa, Galatea, and Neptune’s rings that form in the presence of liquid water—yet the moons themselves show no obvious water ice. The material likely came from deep inside much larger icy moons that were shattered when Triton was captured by Neptune, destroying much of the planet’s original satellite system. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:35:05 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260813045545.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260813045541.htm Astronomers have released more than three million new spectra in a sweeping expansion that, for the first time, brings SDSS-V optical observations to the Southern Hemisphere. The data reveal everything from rare stars and glowing nebulae to hundreds of thousands of X-ray sources and supermassive black holes changing over time. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:21:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260813045541.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260813045538.htm Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered a bizarre object from just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang that looks like an enormous star but shines far too brightly to actually be one. The mysterious red object, dubbed a “black hole star,” may contain a black hole about 100,000 times the mass of the Sun wrapped inside a dense, star-like cocoon of hydrogen roughly the size of our solar system. Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:03:55 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260813045538.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260807035153.htm Cassini data has revealed a surprising twist in Saturn’s magnetic shield: the planet’s rapid rotation appears to drag a key opening in its magnetosphere far toward the afternoon side instead of keeping it near noon, as happens on Earth. The finding confirms that giant planets like Saturn operate under a fundamentally different magnetic regime, where fast spin and charged material from moons such as Enceladus can overpower the Sun’s influence. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 01:56:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260807035153.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260807035142.htm Scientists have discovered incredibly tiny plasma whirlpools swirling across the Sun’s surface, some just 20 kilometers wide. These previously invisible vortices may twist magnetic fields and help build up the energy released in small solar eruptions called nanoflares. They may also help magnetic fields spread through the Sun’s atmosphere far faster than current models can explain. Sat, 08 Aug 2026 09:03:51 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260807035142.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260805082457.htm A supermassive black hole has been found lurking about 30,000 light-years from the center of its galaxy—the first dormant black hole detected so far from a galactic core. It revealed itself only after shredding a passing star and producing a brief, brilliant flare. Astronomers think it may be the remnant of a devoured galaxy or a black hole flung outward during a chaotic cosmic encounter. Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:16:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260805082457.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260801042816.htm The solar wind may be stripping away Mars’ atmosphere by creating giant rolling waves along its outer edge. Data from MAVEN and Tianwen-1 show that these waves form plasma clouds that carry atmospheric particles into space. The process is concentrated on one side of Mars and may have played a major role in drying out the once potentially habitable planet. Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:07:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260801042816.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260727012143.htm Young Jupiter’s powerful magnetic field may have created a safe zone where several large moons could survive. Saturn lacked this protection, possibly explaining why Titan stands almost alone among its largest moons. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:24:05 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260727012143.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260723084049.htm A new analysis suggests the Sun holds far more silver than earlier estimates indicated. More advanced models of the solar atmosphere raised the calculated amount by 55 percent, bringing it into much closer agreement with ancient meteorites. The technique may also help scientists track the cosmic origins of silver and other heavy elements. Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:55:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260723084049.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260722032111.htm A giant planet had been hiding inside one of astronomy’s most closely studied planetary systems, concealed by a bright disk of cosmic dust. Webb revealed Beta Pictoris d through atmospheric traces of carbon monoxide, water vapor, and methane, showcasing a promising new method for finding elusive exoplanets. Thu, 23 Jul 2026 01:58:04 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260722032111.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260721000825.htm Astronomers have found the first confirmed atmosphere around a rocky planet in another star’s habitable zone. The planet, LHS 1140 b, revealed its atmosphere through helium slowly leaking into space. Located 48 light-years away, the world may have preserved its atmosphere for billions of years, making it a promising target in the search for potentially habitable planets. Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:57:41 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260721000825.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260721000818.htm A newly discovered turning point in the Sun’s 11-year cycle could allow scientists to predict future solar activity years earlier than before. At this “switch-off” point, the most violent space weather abruptly ends, and the remaining number of sunspots offers clues about the next cycle’s strength. Early projections suggest Solar Cycle 26 may be moderate, but a clearer forecast is expected in about two years. Tue, 21 Jul 2026 04:08:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260721000818.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260719035942.htm Dying Sun-like stars may not fade away quietly. As blobs of gas erupt unevenly from their swollen surfaces, each burst gives the star a tiny push in the opposite direction. Thousands of these random kicks could eventually break apart distant stellar pairs or, in rare cases, drive two stars into a violent collision. Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:36:16 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260719035942.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260718010145.htm China’s Chang’e-6 samples have uncovered a surprising difference between the Moon’s two hemispheres. Solar wind particles penetrated deeper into the far-side soil because Earth’s magnetosphere slows the particles that reach the near side. Noble gases locked inside the lunar regolith preserved evidence of this uneven bombardment. These gases may even help scientists reconstruct the ancient history of Earth’s magnetic shield. Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:39:35 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260718010145.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260716023559.htm A catastrophic asteroid breakup may have triggered a huge wave of impacts across the inner solar system about 800 million years ago. The debris was launched from near a gravitational gateway controlled by Jupiter, sending fragments toward Earth, the Moon, and Mars. The bombardment may explain ancient lunar craters and could have contributed to major climate and biological changes on Earth. Sat, 18 Jul 2026 09:00:33 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260716023559.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260715083538.htm A distant Sun-like star appears to have devoured one of its planets, leaving behind a surprising chemical fingerprint. Researchers found an unusually high concentration of lithium, a strong sign that planetary material was mixed into the star. Careful comparisons with dozens of similar stars confirmed the signal is highly unusual, and scientists think a massive brown dwarf companion may have helped send the planet on its fatal plunge. Thu, 16 Jul 2026 06:52:02 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260715083538.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260714225528.htm Four nearby white dwarf stars have been discovered hiding in plain sight beside brighter red dwarf companions. Hubble's ultraviolet observations finally revealed the long-hidden stellar remnants, including one just 25 light-years away that took nearly three decades to confirm. The findings match long-standing predictions and suggest our corner of the galaxy may contain many more undiscovered white dwarf binaries. Wed, 15 Jul 2026 02:30:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260714225528.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260712011748.htm K2-18b is one of the most promising worlds for the search for extraterrestrial life, so astronomers conducted an unusually powerful radio survey using both the VLA and MeerKAT telescopes. Advanced software analyzed millions of signals, filtering out Earth-based interference and other false positives. No convincing artificial radio transmissions were found, but the project demonstrated a powerful new approach that will make future SETI searches faster and far more effective. Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:04:12 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260712011748.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260712011743.htm NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has revealed new details about the blistering lava planet 55 Cancri e, where temperatures are high enough to melt rock. The data indicate the planet likely has a hydrogen-rich atmosphere shaped by gases escaping from its molten interior, with signs that volcanic outgassing may even create temporary clouds. Wed, 15 Jul 2026 23:19:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260712011743.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260710003524.htm Scientists have identified new clues that could help astronomers spot one of the most famous hypothetical alien megastructures: a Dyson sphere. The study finds that red dwarfs and white dwarfs are the most promising stars to examine, since advanced civilizations could potentially build energy-harvesting swarms around them more easily. These objects would stand out by glowing in infrared light instead of visible light, lacking the dusty signatures of ordinary stars, and possibly flickering in unusual ways. Fri, 10 Jul 2026 02:04:44 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260710003524.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260709160657.htm A planet with one side permanently roasting and the other frozen in endless darkness might still have a chance of supporting life. Researchers found that heat inside a tidally locked exoplanet could circulate in a stable, continuous loop, helping moderate temperatures in certain regions. Their laboratory model suggests these worlds may be more hospitable than previously thought, despite their extreme surface conditions. Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:27:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260709160657.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260702230859.htm NASA is marking the United States' 250th birthday with four striking red, white, and blue images of deep space from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The collection features an exploded star, a stellar nursery, a galaxy where stars are rapidly forming, and a galaxy cluster that provides evidence for dark matter. Sat, 04 Jul 2026 05:30:33 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260702230859.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626125703.htm An unusual gravitational wave signal has renewed hopes that primordial black holes, long considered purely theoretical, may finally be within reach of discovery. If confirmed, they could solve one of astronomy's greatest mysteries by explaining the nature of dark matter. Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:56:36 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626125703.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626124659.htm Two newly confirmed "super-puff" planets are so diffuse that they are less dense than cotton candy, despite being about the size of Jupiter. Their rare orbital relationship and enormous, lightweight atmospheres could provide valuable clues about how some of the strangest planets in the galaxy come to exist. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:09:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260626124659.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623083146.htm What if consciousness isn’t limited to brains like ours? Philosophers Eric Schwitzgebel and Jeremy Pober argue that consciousness could arise in many different forms of life, even in beings built from radically different materials than those found on Earth. Drawing on the vastness of the universe and the likely existence of countless alien civilizations, they suggest it would be surprisingly Earth-centric to assume that only Earth-like biology can support conscious experience. Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:49:57 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623083146.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623083121.htm Scientists are raising concerns that we may be overlooking evidence of extraterrestrial life even when it is present. Hidden biosignatures, limitations in detection technology, and assumptions about what life should look like can all create dangerous false negatives. The researchers say future missions should focus not only on finding life, but also on understanding how signs of life could be missed. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:34:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623083121.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623014009.htm Astronomers have finally cracked the mystery of the famous “Pink Planet,” a strange world 57 light-years away that has puzzled scientists for more than a decade. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, researchers discovered that its atmosphere contains water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and something never directly confirmed before in such an object: salty clouds. Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:15:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623014009.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260616103133.htm Astronomers studying the rare supernova SN 2021yfj discovered material from one of the deepest layers of a dying star, providing a rare look at its hidden interior. The finding confirms key theories about how massive stars forge the elements that help build planets, worlds, and life. Sat, 27 Jun 2026 21:14:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260616103133.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260613034225.htm Using the Keck Observatory, astronomers measured the spins of dozens of giant planets and brown dwarfs orbiting distant stars. They found that giant planets can spin faster than much more massive brown dwarfs, challenging simple assumptions about mass and rotation. The results suggest that magnetic fields and formation processes play a major role in determining how fast worlds end up spinning. Sat, 13 Jun 2026 08:57:55 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260613034225.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260611024559.htm JWST has revealed dramatic differences between the dawn and dusk regions of the scorching exoplanet WASP-121 b. Fierce winds appear to carry heat from the planet’s permanent dayside, making the evening side hotter and more expanded. Scientists also found signs that water is being broken apart by extreme temperatures and that mysterious mineral clouds may be shaping the cooler side’s atmosphere. Thu, 11 Jun 2026 07:47:04 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260611024559.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260608040009.htm Astronomers have spent years searching for a possible hidden giant planet far beyond Neptune. Unusual orbits among distant Kuiper Belt objects have fueled the Planet Nine theory, but recent discoveries are challenging the idea by showing more stable motion than expected. If Planet Nine exists, it may be much farther away than originally thought. Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:52:02 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260608040009.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260601025334.htm NASA’s Roman Space Telescope could revolutionize the search for alien worlds by discovering around 100,000 exoplanets—far more than all previous missions combined. It will look deep into unexplored parts of the Milky Way, helping scientists compare planetary systems across very different galactic environments. The mission will also uncover rare Earth-sized planets, study thousands of exotic alien atmospheres, and provide a treasure trove of data that could reshape our understanding of how planets form. Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:53:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260601025334.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260528082509.htm Scientists say moons around rogue planets wandering through the galaxy could remain warm enough for life thanks to tidal heating and hydrogen-rich atmospheres. These dark, starless worlds may have had stable oceans for billions of years — long enough for complex life to potentially emerge. Fri, 29 May 2026 02:05:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260528082509.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260527023212.htm A giant planet nearly 700 light-years away has a bizarre daily weather cycle where mineral clouds appear every morning and vanish by nightfall. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers discovered that WASP-94A b’s mornings are filled with clouds made of rock-like minerals, while its evenings are surprisingly clear. The finding gave scientists their clearest look yet into the planet’s atmosphere and revealed it’s far more Jupiter-like than previously believed. Wed, 27 May 2026 06:24:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260527023212.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260525000455.htm Scientists believe a dust-filled ring just outside Jupiter acted like a cosmic “planetesimal factory,” producing multiple generations of early space rocks with very different compositions. The discovery may finally explain the origins of several mysterious meteorite types that have survived since the birth of the Solar System. Tue, 26 May 2026 01:48:02 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260525000455.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260522023120.htm NASA scientists were stunned when a strange radio signal from the Sun refused to fade away. Instead of lasting a few hours or days like normal solar radio bursts, this one persisted for an astonishing 19 days — shattering the previous record. Using a fleet of spacecraft spread across the solar system, researchers tracked the mysterious signal to a massive magnetic structure on the Sun called a helmet streamer. Sat, 23 May 2026 08:06:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260522023120.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260521072359.htm Mysterious red auroras spotted over Japan were found reaching astonishingly high altitudes, even during space storms considered relatively mild. The discovery suggests hidden solar activity may be stronger than scientists realized — with potential consequences for satellites orbiting Earth. Thu, 21 May 2026 23:02:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260521072359.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260521072355.htm Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered a rare world unlike anything in our solar system — a giant planet about the size of Saturn with surprisingly Earth-like temperatures and an atmosphere packed with methane. The planet, TOI-199b, sits more than 330 light-years away and is one of the first known “temperate” gas giants ever studied in detail. Thu, 21 May 2026 22:41:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260521072355.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260520093753.htm Scientists have discovered a bizarre planetary system where a rocky world orbits farther out than giant gas planets, defying long-standing theories of planet formation. The finding hints that some planets may form much later than expected — and that our Solar System might not be as typical as we thought. Thu, 21 May 2026 02:09:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260520093753.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260515002130.htm NASA’s Roman Space Telescope could expose a vast hidden population of neutron stars lurking unseen across the Milky Way. By detecting subtle shifts in starlight caused by gravity, the mission may identify and even weigh isolated neutron stars that are otherwise impossible to see. Scientists hope the discoveries will reveal how these extreme objects are born and why they are blasted through space at incredible speeds. Fri, 15 May 2026 03:33:51 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260515002130.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260513221818.htm Researchers in Japan traced a hidden medieval solar storm using ancient tree rings and centuries-old sky observations. The team linked reports of eerie red auroras with spikes of carbon-14 trapped in buried wood, revealing a powerful solar radiation event around 1200 CE. The findings suggest the Sun was far more active at the time, with unusually short solar cycles. Thu, 14 May 2026 01:55:09 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260513221818.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260511213151.htm Hubble has revealed a giant planet-forming disk unlike anything astronomers have seen before. Nicknamed “Dracula’s Chivito,” the enormous structure appears turbulent and oddly lopsided, with towering filaments visible on only one side. The disk contains enough material to potentially create multiple giant planets, making it a fascinating new laboratory for studying how planetary systems are born. Tue, 12 May 2026 00:42:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260511213151.htm