Topic
Exoplanets
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TESS discovers its first Earth-sized planet
Orbiting a nearby star, the new planet is the smallest identified so far by the TESS mission.
April 16, 2019 -
Lighting up exoplanets
The Heising-Simons Foundation selects Clara Sousa-Silva and Benjamin Rackham for 51 Pegasi b Fellowships at MIT.
March 27, 2019 -
Robert Simcoe named director of MIT Kavli Institute
An expert in instrumentation and early universe observations, Simcoe succeeds Jacqueline Hewitt as head of MIT’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research.
January 10, 2019 -
Jacqueline Hewitt to step down as director of the MIT Kavli Institute
Physics professor brought leadership, resources, and an intellectual focus to the MIT astrophysics faculty and research staff during 15 years at the helm.
November 29, 2018 -
Julien de Wit and TRAPPIST-1 science team receive NASA award
Assistant professor in EAPS and colleagues from the University of Liège were honored for groundbreaking planetary system discovery.
September 6, 2018 -
Tiny ASTERIA satellite achieves a first for CubeSats
Measurement of an exoplanet transit demonstrates proof of concept that small spacecraft can perform high-precision photometry.
August 15, 2018 -
TESS takes initial test image
Exoplanet-seeking satellite developed by MIT swings by moon toward final orbit.
May 18, 2018 -
Ushering in the next phase of exoplanet discovery
Professor Sara Seager previews a new era of discovery as a leader of the TESS mission, which is expected to find some 20,000 extrasolar planets.
May 3, 2018 -
TESS readies for takeoff
Satellite developed by MIT aims to discover thousands of nearby exoplanets, including at least 50 Earth-sized ones.
April 12, 2018 -
EAPS welcomes Heising-Simons fellow Ian Wong
The 51 Pegasi b Postdoctoral Fellowship provides junior scientists the opportunity to conduct theoretical, observational, and experimental research in planetary astronomy.
February 7, 2018 -
Citizen scientists discover five tightly packed exoplanets
The planetary system’s dense configuration gives clues to its formation
January 11, 2018 -
TESS mission to discover new planets moves toward launch
Satellite’s cameras have been delivered by MIT researchers and passed NASA inspection.
August 4, 2017 -
Another potentially habitable extrasolar planet discovered
Some 40 light-years away, "super-Earth" identified as new target for atmospheric study.
April 21, 2017 -
Media Lab sets sights on space
MIT Media Lab event, Beyond the Cradle, launches a new initiative to explore the final frontier.
March 14, 2017 -
The heart of a far-off star beats for its planet
Scientists observe first planet-induced stellar pulsations.
February 14, 2017 -
Scientists make huge dataset of nearby stars available to public
Users can search database of 1,600 stars to find signs of new exoplanets.
February 13, 2017 -
Jason Dittmann named an inaugural Heising-Simons Foundation 51 Pegasi b Postdoctoral Fellow
Fellowship to provide scientists the opportunity to conduct theoretical, observational, and experimental research in planetary astronomy.
January 26, 2017 -
Scientists discover potentially habitable planets
Just 40 light years from Earth, planets are best targets so far for search for extraterrestrial life.
May 2, 2016 -
First temperature map of a “super-Earth” reveals lava world
Exoplanet lacks atmosphere, is covered in rivers of magma.
March 30, 2016 -
A highly eccentric exoplanet
Observations of an extreme-weather planet raise questions about hot Jupiters’ origins.
March 28, 2016