Currently, astronomers have identified over 40 multi-planet extrasolar planetary systems. Accurate data on the orbits of the planets in these systems permits researchers to address the following … more

Working at Reasons To Believe provides many opportunities for us to travel around the country and the world, not only to engage skeptics in discussion about science-faith issues, but also to encourage … more

Working at Reasons To Believe provides many opportunities for us to travel around the country and the world, not only to engage skeptics in discussion about science/faith issues, but also to encourage … more

In March I wrote about research published in Nature1 that argued a star was observed shredding one of its planets right before our eyes. Now a more recent study published in the Astrophysical Journal … more

According to conventional scientific wisdom, Earth is nothing special. Past discoveries demonstrate that our planet does not occupy a special location in space; plus, observations over the last two … more

Too much water, for example, or too much carbon would destroy Earth’s ability to support advanced life. On the other hand, too little of certain “bad” things, elements generally … more

On June 5–6, 2012, a rare solar system event will occur. Venus will transit across the face of the Sun. Such a transit occurs when Venus aligns perfectly between the Sun and Earth allowing … more

Washington DC witnessed the year’s American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting in early January 2010. The meeting spawned a large number of news stories relating to exoplanets so I thought it … more

Extrasolar planets frequently make news; in particular, a recent discovery by a team of 19 American and European astronomers is attracting attention. The newly detected planet is now the second … more

Since the first discovery of an extrasolar planet in 1995,1 astronomers have detected more than 400 extrasolar planets, most of which are gas giants like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The … more

Fifteen years ago, astronomers knew of only eight planets in the universe (nine if you still count Pluto). Now nearly 400 planets outside our solar system populate an ever-increasing planetary … more

For the planet’s size and distance from its star, it possesses an anomalous (abnormal) amount of every measurable element and compound. Today, the list of such uniquely abundant or scarce … more

This finding persuaded many astronomers and millions of lay people to conclude that Carl Sagan was right—our Milky Way Galaxy (MWG) was filled with billions of planets, most of which would prove … more

For anyone trying to keep a house or office clean, dust bunnies are the enemy. Yet these annoyances form a crucial ally when trying to form a habitable planetary system.

When gas clouds condense some … more