3 Questions: Evidence for planetary formation through gravitational instability
Assistant Professor Richard Teague describes how movement of unstable gas in a protoplanetary disk lends credibility to a secondary theory of planetary formation.
Roadmap details how to improve exoplanet exploration using the JWST
Scientists created the step-by-step guide to unlock the potential of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope for identifying habitable worlds in the universe.
Astronomers spot a highly “eccentric” planet on its way to becoming a hot Jupiter
The planet’s wild orbit offers clues to how such large, hot planets take shape.
Sarah Millholland receives 2024 Vera Rubin Early Career Award
American Astronomical Society’s Division on Dynamical Astronomy honors the assistant professor and MIT Kavli member for contributions to the dynamics of multi-planet extrasolar systems.
Newly discovered Earth-sized planet may lack an atmosphere
Circling a cold, Jupiter-sized star, the new world could offer an unobstructed view of its surface composition and history.
Astronomers spot a giant planet that is as light as cotton candy
The new world is the second-lightest planet discovered to date.
A carbon-lite atmosphere could be a sign of water and life on other terrestrial planets, MIT study finds
A low carbon abundance in planetary atmospheres, which the James Webb Space Telescope can detect, could be a signature of habitability.
Newly discovered planet has longest orbit yet detected by the TESS mission
The frosty gas giant was discovered in a system that also hosts a warm Jupiter.
A telescope’s last view
Astronomers discover the last three planets the Kepler telescope observed before going dark.
In a first, astronomers spot a star swallowing a planet
Earth will meet a similar fate in 5 billion years.
MIT welcomes 2023 Heising-Simons Foundation 51 Pegasi b Fellow Juliana García-Mejía
The fellowship supports research contributing to the field of planetary science and astronomy.
Planet hunting and the origins of life
George Ricker and his team at the MIT Kavli Institute are mapping the entire sky for signs of life.
School of Science appoints 10 faculty to named professorships
Those selected for these positions receive additional support to pursue their research and develop their careers.
Earth can regulate its own temperature over millennia, new study finds
Scientists have confirmed that a “stabilizing feedback” on 100,000-year timescales keeps global temperatures in check.
Documentary featuring Professor Sara Seager wins Emmy Award
“The Hunt for Planet B” follows Seager and others on their search for extraterrestrial life; three other nominated films feature MIT affiliates.