planet formation articles
What is the best explanation for the location of hot Jupiters?
The discovery of exoplanets has fundamentally reshaped our view of planetary systems, presenting astronomers with many u...
What is the star planet near the Moon tonight?
The celestial view changes day by day, meaning the answer to what bright object is sharing the sky with the Moon tonight...
How does star formation differ in elliptical and spiral galaxies?
The character of a galaxy, from its shape to the color of its light, is deeply tied to its history of star formation. Wh...
How many habitable planets are there in our solar system?
When we gaze up at the night sky from Earth, the question of how many other worlds in our local neighborhood might suppo...
What makes a planet a habitable zone?
The search for life beyond Earth often boils down to finding the right address—a place neither too scorching nor too fri...
What is the path followed by a planet called?
The curved line traced by a planet as it moves around a star, or any celestial object around another, has a specific sci...
How do astronomers determine the size of a planet using the transit technique?
When astronomers want to figure out just how big an alien world is, especially one orbiting a distant star, they often t...
What qualifies a planet according to NASA?
The classification of a celestial body as a "planet" is a surprisingly deep question that touches on astronomy, history,...
How does clearing the neighborhood define a planet?
The concept of a celestial body having "cleared the neighborhood" around its orbit is the most critical, and often most ...
How does NASA classify planets?
The standard for classifying a planet within our Solar System is a specific set of rules established by the Internationa...
Why is finding life on other planets important?
The presence of life beyond Earth is a question that has captivated human thought for centuries, moving from the realm o...
What is the main reason for the low star formation in elliptical galaxies?
The silent grandeur of **elliptical galaxies** often belies a long and dramatic history. Unlike their spiral cousins, wh...
Why do planets look like they are flickering?
The visual phenomenon of celestial objects appearing to flicker, or twinkle, is a common sight for anyone who spends tim...
What planet is most likely to be terraformed?
The prospect of transforming a desolate celestial body into a second home for humanity is one of science fiction's most ...
What kind of evidence suggests that there is not much star formation happening in elliptical galaxies?
The visual contrast between different galaxy types immediately suggests differences in their current activity levels. Sp...
What unit is used to measure planets?
The vastness of space presents an immediate challenge when we try to describe the positions of celestial bodies. Trying ...
How do astronomers measure the size of planets?
Determining the physical dimensions of a planet, whether it orbits our Sun or a star light-years away, requires more tha...
Did ancient beaches found on Mars reveal the Red Planet once had oceans?
The long-standing cosmic question of whether Mars ever hosted vast, life-sustaining bodies of liquid water seems to be f...
Why is it highly unlikely that any of the stars in a globular cluster would have planets?
The very idea of a star system existing within a dense globular cluster often feels counterintuitive, given our familiar...
What is the bright planet in the early morning sky?
The brilliant, steady light hanging in the predawn sky is a common sight that inspires many early risers to wonder what ...
What planet has NASA explored the most?
The planet that holds the title of being the most explored by NASA, outside of our own world, is **Mars** [^1][^3]. This...
What planets have we crashed satellites into?
The act of sending an artificial object toward another world often culminates in a planned or unplanned collision, a fin...
How many planets have we landed rovers on?
The count for planetary surfaces visited by robotic wheeled vehicles designed to roam is surprisingly small. To date, hu...
What planets have humans landed probes on?
The human endeavor to send robotic envoys beyond Earth has resulted in a surprisingly small number of confirmed *landing...