New recipe in the search for alien life

A new model has been developed to help in the search for life beyond our solar system.

Faraway Eris is Pluto's twin

Astronomers have measured the diameter of the dwarf planet Eris by catching it as it passed in front of a faint star. This was seen by telescopes in Chile, including the TRAPPIST telescope at the European Southern Observatory

Youngest baby exoplanet discovered

"Congratulations LkCa 15! You've given birth to a proto-exoplanet!"

Weird exoplanetary system dances to the beat

If there's one thing to be said for the Kepler mission, it's certainly turning up some very strange new worlds.

Exquisite exoplanetary art: photos

Check out Exquisite Exoplanetary Art: Photos

Fifty new exoplanets discovered by HARPS

Astronomers using ESO’s world-leading exoplanet hunter HARPS have today announced a rich haul of more than 50 new exoplanets, including 16 super-Earths, one of which orbits at the edge of the habitable zone of its star. By studying the properties of all the HARPS planets found so far, the team has found that about 40% of stars similar to the Sun have at least one planet lighter than Saturn.

Seeing the planets for the trees

A recent study says that a particular mathematical technique could be used to detect forests on extrasolar planets.

Densest known rocky planet: Astronomers unveil portrait of 'super-exotic super-Earth'

(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of astronomers today revealed details of a "super-exotic" exoplanet that would make the planet Pandora in the movie Avatar pale in comparison.

New conditions for life on other planets: tidal effects change 'habitable zone' concept

Tides can render the so-called "habitable zone" around low-mass stars uninhabitable, according to new research. Until now, the two main drivers thought to determine a planet