Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


0

Scientists Find Planets Out of This World

Discoveries of, info about new heavenly bodies pour into NASA

Share

(Newser) – Humans took centuries to discover the other planets in the solar system, but in the 13 years since the first additional planet was identified, planetary scientists have found 277 more worlds orbiting other suns. And those extrasolar planets are just the confirmed ones—many more are suspected, and excitement among scientists is building, reports the Washington Post.

"This is an absolutely astounding time for this field," says a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "We're not only finding them rapidly and in great variety, but we're starting to characterize them," which means learning about their orbits, atmospheres, and in the case of one announced last week, their organic molecules. The next wave: detecting smaller, earth-sized planets.

A false-color image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's camera showing the dune crests in the Endurance Crater.
A false-color image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's camera showing the dune crests in the Endurance Crater.   (Associated Press)
Saturn's frigid moon Titan as it approaches the brilliant limb of Saturn. Scientists announced they have found the best evidence yet that an ocean may be hidden below the surface.
Saturn's frigid moon Titan as it approaches the brilliant limb of Saturn. Scientists announced they have found the best evidence yet that an ocean may be hidden below the surface.   (Associated Press)
A close up view by the Cassini spacecraft of the Saturn moon Enceladus' northern pole. The probe swept through the edge of the geysers and measured their chemical makeup.
A close up view by the Cassini spacecraft of the Saturn moon Enceladus' northern pole. The probe swept through the edge of the geysers and measured their chemical makeup.   (Associated Press)
In this false color image released by NASA showing an active avalanche on Mars taken by the Reconnaissance Orbiter is the first ever image of active avalanches near the Red Planet's north pole.
In this false color image released by NASA showing an active avalanche on Mars taken by the Reconnaissance Orbiter is the first ever image of active avalanches near the Red Planet's north pole.   (Associated Press)
Young star HD 61005, dubbed
Young star HD 61005, dubbed "The Moth." Its shape is produced by starlight scattering off dust and is giving astronomers new insight into the formation and evolution of planetary systems.   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
0 comments
VIEWING:
 
LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

98 Stories

 NASA Will 
 Try to Free 
 Rover Stuck 
 on Mars 

Spirit has been in a sand trap since April

Nov 12, 09 5:37 PM CST
(Newser) - Help is on the way, rover. NASA will attempt to free the Mars rover Spirit from its sand-trap prison on Monday. The plucky machine got stuck in April—“the equivalent of falling through the ice over a frozen pond," says a NASA official. Spirit has been exploring Mars... More »

MORE ABOUT:
NASA • space exploration • Mars • planet • Mars rover • outer space

 32 New Exoplanets Discovered 

New finds signal that cosmos harbors wealth of planets

Oct 20, 09 3:23 AM CDT
(Newser) - European astronomers have discovered 32 new planets in other solar systems, bringing the total of known exoplanets to over 400. The planets—which range in size from five times the size of Earth to five times the size of Jupiter—were found circling a variety of stars. The new discoveries... More »

MORE ABOUT:
planet • Milky Way • exoplanet • galaxy • extrasolar planets • observatory

(Newser) - Scientists have discovered a colossal ring around Saturn, the biggest planetary ring yet found. It's enormous even by solar system standards: Among the analogies being used to make it clear to our little earthly minds is that it would take 1 billion Earths to fill it. "This thing is... More »

MORE ABOUT:
NASA • planet • Saturn • solar system • outer space

98 Stories


Gas in a galaxy far, far away
Environmental Science & Technology


Science & Health 
TwitterFollow @NewserScience on Twitter

 
NASA • planet • MIT • space • extrasolar planets • JPL • Joint Propulsion Laboratory

from our news partners