water worlds tagged posts

Astronomers find that Two Exoplanets may be Mostly Water

Artistic representation of the planetary system of the star Kepler-138. We see Kepler-138 d in the foreground, and closer to the star, Kepler-138 c. These two planets are probably composed mainly of water. The small planet Kepler-138 b is seen transiting in front of the star. A fourth planet, Kepler-138 e, is further away and not visible in the image.
Artistic representation of the planetary system of the star Kepler-138. We see Kepler-138 d in the foreground, and closer to the star, Kepler-138 c. These two planets are probably composed mainly of water. The small planet Kepler-138 b is seen transiting in front of the star. A fourth planet, Kepler-138 e, is further away and not visible in the image.
CREDIT: STSCI.

A team led by UdeM astronomers has found evidence that two exoplanets orbiting a red dwarf star are “water worlds,” planets where water makes up a large fraction of the volume. These worlds, located in a planetary system 218 light-years away in the constellation Lyra, are unlike any planets found in our solar system.

The team, led by PhD student Caroline Piaulet of the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (iREx) ...

Read More

Surprise finding suggests ‘Water Worlds’ are more Common than we thought

view of one hemisphere of Europa, a moon made of pale rock with orange streaks across surface
A new study suggests that many more planets in distant solar systems have large amounts of water than previously thought—as much as half water and half rock. The catch? It’s probably imbedded underground, as in Jupiter’s moon Europa, above.
Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/SETI Institute

Analysis finds evidence for many exoplanets made of water and rock around small stars. A new study suggests that many more planets may have large amounts of water than previously thought–as much as half water and half rock. The catch? All that water is probably embedded in the rock, rather than flowing as oceans or rivers on the surface.

Water is the one thing all life on Earth needs, and the cycle of rain to river to ocean to rain is an essential part of what keeps our planet’s climate stabl...

Read More

Blowing in the Stellar wind: Scientists reduce the chances of life on Exoplanets in Habitable zones

Image of starlight on exoplanet. Credit: Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Image of starlight on exoplanet. Credit: Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Is there life beyond Earth in the cosmos? Astronomers looking for signs have found that our Milky Way galaxy teems with exoplanets, some with conditions that could be right for extraterrestrial life. Such worlds orbit stars in “habitable zones,” regions where planets could hold liquid water that is necessary for life as we know it. However, the question of habitability is highly complex. Researchers led by space physicist Chuanfei Dong of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and Princeton University have recently raised doubts about water on – and thus potential habitability of – frequently cited exoplanets that orbit red dwarfs, the most common stars in the Milky Way.

In two ...

Read More