Alien Planets, Giant Galaxies and More
Each January, the American Astronomical Society holds an annual meeting it bills as the "Super Bowl of Astronomy," where thousands of scientists from around the world gather to reveal the latest space discoveries.
This week, the 221st American Astronomical Society meeting unveiled several amazing discoveries about exoplanets, the largest spiral galaxy, the nature of space-time and more. Here is our look at the biggest news from the AAS conference.
FIRST STOP: Alien Asteroid Belt Discovered
Alien Asteroid Belt Discovery Hints at Hidden Planets
Astronomers have discovered a giant asteroid belt circling the bright star Vega, a find that may ultimately reveal an entire solar system of planets, scientists say. [Full Story]
NEXT: Wild Weather of Distant 'Failed Star' Revealed
Wild Weather of Distant 'Failed Star' Revealed
Astronomers have mapped out the weird and wild weather of a so-called "failed star" in unprecedented detail. [Full Story]
NEXT: NASA Finds 461 Alien Planet Candidates, Some Possibly Habitable
NASA Finds 461 Alien Planet Candidates, Some Possibly Habitable
NASA's Kepler Space Telescope has detected 461 new potential alien planets, including four worlds slightly larger than Earth that may be capable of supporting life as we know it. [Full Story]
NEXT: 'Zombie' Planet's Rogue Orbit Around Star Shocks Scientists
'Zombie' Planet's Rogue Orbit Around Star Shocks Scientists
The unbalanced orbit of a so-called "zombie planet" in a dusty star system has astronomers struggling to explain the exoplanet's behavior. [Full Story]
NEXT: Cosmic 'Bullets' Slam Orion Nebula in Dazzling Photo
Cosmic 'Bullets' Slam Orion Nebula in Dazzling Photo
Astronomers have unveiled a spectacular new photo of supersonic "bullets" slicing through thick gas clouds in famed Orion nebula. [Full Story]
NEXT: 17 Billion Earth-Size Alien Planets Inhabit Milky Way
17 Billion Earth-Size Alien Planets Inhabit Milky Way
Our galaxy hosts at least 17 billion Earth-size alien planets, a new study reports. [Full Story]
NEXT: Largest Spiral Galaxy in Universe Revealed
Largest Spiral Galaxy in Universe Revealed
Astronomers have crowned the universe's largest known spiral galaxy, a spectacular behemoth five times bigger than our own Milky Way. [Full Story]
NEXT: Hubble Space Telescope Could Last Until 2018, NASA Says
Hubble Space Telescope Could Last Until 2018, NASA Says
NASA's 23-year-old Hubble Space Telescope is still going strong, and agency officials said Tuesday (Jan. 8) they plan to operate it until its instruments finally give out, potentially for another six years at least. [Full Story]
NEXT: Einstein Was Right: Space-Time Is Smooth, Not Foamy
Einstein Was Right: Space-Time Is Smooth, Not Foamy
Space-time is smooth rather than foamy, a new study suggests, scoring a possible victory for the late Albert Einstein over some quantum theorists who came after him. [Full Story]
NEXT: Most Earth-Like Alien Planet Possibly Found
Most Earth-Like Alien Planet Possibly Found
A possible alien planet recently found by the Kepler telescope is the most Earth-like world beyond our solar system to date, experts say. [Full Story]
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