Exoplanets
Latest about Exoplanets
![Two orbs to the right appear to have blasted away from a star in the distance.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/En5C6j2VVvQgpvD2tDXBPn-320-80.png)
The mystery of how strange cosmic objects called 'JuMBOs' went rogue
By Robert Lea published
Scientists may have discovered how JuMBOs, strangle binary objects found in Orion, may have gone rogue while staying gravitationally bound. The discovery may shake up theories of planet formation.
![An illustration of WASP-76b and the rainbow like glory effect in its atmosphere](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QuLMTyuN9o2jYMSc6guoF6-320-80.png)
This hellish exoplanet's skies rain iron and create a rainbow-like effect
By Robert Lea published
The CHEOPS mission has seen tantalizing hints of the rainbow-like glory effect over WASP-76b, an extreme world where iron rains heavily on one side of the planet.
![a dark red fiery orb jets away from a burning yetllow star, ringed in plasma.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ifG9uaGvRi7HsdAaQwL9vb-320-80.jpg)
1 in 12 stars might have swallowed a planet
By Charles Q. Choi published
A new study suggests that stars may chomp on planets way more often than you'd expect.
![An illustration shows the egg-shaped planet WASP-12b on a death spiral towar its yellow dwarf parent star](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/teUbfLqDoaSqMThbK68A6d-320-80.png)
Doomed egg-shaped exoplanet is death-spiraling into its star
By Robert Lea published
WASP-12b, an ultrahot Jupiter planet molded into the shape of an egg, is set to nose-dive into its star.
![illustration showing a brownish, jupiter-like exoplanet in space, with its yellow host star in the background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3fQjRCU4y8n8NonYcSCzai-320-80.jpg)
As scientists find real exoplanets, sci-fi writers change their vision of alien worlds
By Keith Cooper published
The discovery of the first exoplanets was a watershed moment for both science and science fiction, which has attempted to keep pace with scientific knowledge of other worlds.
![Images of planet-forming disks in the Milky Way galaxy captured by the Very Large Telescope in Chile.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/o6LshhNHNGEEKkrj3gj7Co-320-80.jpg)
Stunning images from Very Large Telescope capture unique views of planet formation
By Tereza Pultarova published
Incredible images captured by the Very Large Telescope in Chile reveal unique insights into planet formation around young stars.
![An illustration of Trappist-1e shows the potentially habitable exoplanet being stripped of its atmosphere by harsh radiation from its red dwarf star as its planetary siblings watch on](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yCr8VdCbT2BKmfohjTcm5c-320-80.png)
Possibly habitable Trappist-1 exoplanet caught destroying its own atmosphere
By Robert Lea published
"I would imagine that all Trappist-1 planets are going to have a hard time holding on to any atmosphere."
![A super-Earth in the foreground with a hazy white glow around it. In the background, a star.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zeWe6KV5AArUGfSZZLeRXJ-320-80.png)
The mystery of the missing super-Earths and mini-Neptunes may finally be solved
By Robert Lea published
Our universe's lack of super-Earths or mini-Neptunes could be caused by some planets migrating toward the hearts of their systems early on in their lives.
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