New Directly Imaged Planet Challenges Planet Formation Theories
HIP 65426 b is the first planet discovered with the SPHERE imager on the VLT. It is an intriguing planet for future study of cloud formation but how did it form in the first place?
Planet Frequencies in the Galactic Bulge
Microlensing could hold the key to studying planet formation in incredibly crowded regions of the galaxy, and today’s paper shows us how.
WFIRST: Exploring the Solar System
WFIRST is an exciting telescope set to launch into orbit in 2025, and today we explore some of the fascinating Solar System science it might carry out.
Can gas giant planets form through pebble accretion?
Giant planets take too long to form from large planetesimals. Does including much smaller pebbles fix this problem?
What are Mars’ moons made of?
The tiny Martian moons Phobos and Deimos were initially thought to be captured asteroids. Now, it looks like they might be remnants of a collision 4.3 billion years ago. Can simulations help us figure out what they’re made of?
Stuff Between the Stars: Gas, Dust, and… Asteroids?
Interstellar space should be littered with debris ejected during the formation of planetary systems—but how much? Engelhardt et al. use solar system surveys and simulations to place an upper limit on the number density of asteroids and comets roaming the Milky Way without a parent star.