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Astronomers scout metal-rich asteroid thought to be worth 10,000 quadrillion dollars

Its astronomical value is another reason why we should invest more in space.

How to "Weigh" Baby Planets

Weighing without using a scale.

Meteorites Not Responsible For Building Solar System, Study Finds

For decades, astronomers have believed that meteorites are the building blocks of our solar system - the lego blocks for planets. But a new study from scientists at MIT and Purdue University suggests that this may not be the case after all - and we've given meteorites too much credit.

Taking a peak inside a planetary womb

Astronomers using ESO’s Very Large Telescope have obtained what is likely the first direct observation of a forming planet still embedded in a thick disc of gas and dust. If the finding is confirmed, it could significantly boost what we already know about forming planets. An international team led by Sascha Quanz (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) […]

Hawaii astronomer takes picture of youngest planet

An astronomer working at the University of Hawaii captured the first ever pictures of a planet forming around a star. In order to do it, he used the 10-metre Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea and a system of mirrors; the main problem with taking pictures such as these ones is that the planet’s star usually […]

When Worlds Collide

Not a Hollywood movie or something like that; not even a pun. The title is in the most literal fashion it could be. But how could this be? Worlds can’t collide, can’t they? Hard to say. Anyway astronomers have announced that a mystery object orbiting a star 170 light-years from Earth might have formed from […]