Gas-giant exoplanets prefer to cling close to parent stars

Last Updated: Friday, June 28, 2013, 14:17

Gemini Observatory`s Planet-Finding Campaign has found that distant gas-giant planets are rare and prefer to cling close to their parent stars.

Kepler spacecraft discovers 2 planets in distant star cluster

Last Updated: Thursday, June 27, 2013, 11:47

Astronomers have found two planets smaller than Neptune orbiting Sun-like stars 3,000 light-years from Earth, in the star cluster NGC 6811.

New technique may help detect hidden Earth-like planets

Last Updated: Friday, June 7, 2013, 10:23

An international team of exoplanet hunters is developing a new technology that would dramatically improve the odds of discovering planets with conditions suitable for life.

Two new exoplanets identified

Last Updated: Tuesday, April 30, 2013, 13:47

These planets, named KOI-200b and KOI-889b, are among the first detected with the new high-accuracy spectrograph HARPS-N.

Colours of exoplanets could reveal signs of life

Last Updated: Sunday, February 10, 2013, 21:51

One way to find whether exoplanets would contain life forms would be by looking at their distinctive colours, say scientists.

Super-Earths more like mini-Neptunes

Last Updated: Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 21:15

`Super-Earths` follow a different evolutionary track from the planets found in our solar system.

`Habitable Zone` for alien planets redefined

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 30, 2013, 16:46

The habitable zone defines the region where a planet might be able to retain liquid water on its surface.

First `alien Earth` to be found in 2013: Scientist

Last Updated: Monday, December 31, 2012, 16:18

The first truly Earth-like alien planet is likely to be spotted next year, scientists claim, saying the epic discovery would cause humanity to reassess its place in the universe.

9 exoplanets ‘may be orbiting Solar System’s twin’

Last Updated: Sunday, April 8, 2012, 15:50

HD 10180 is a yellow dwarf star very much like the sun, so this discovery has drawn many parallels with our own Solar System.

1st 4 exoplanets spotted orbiting 4 distant stars

Last Updated: Thursday, January 5, 2012, 19:40

First four exoplanets of 2012 have been spotted orbiting four distant stars merely four days into the New Year.

Earth-like planets feature in new survey

Last Updated: Tuesday, December 6, 2011, 09:51

Tired of life on Earth? There may be other options, according to a catalog released today of planets and moons that could have the right conditions to support life, planetary scientists said.