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Planetary Formation

Featured Images

A ring of rubble encircles the star Fomalhaut

Rubble Ring May 19, 2017
Diagram of the asteroid belt

Leftovers May 1, 2017
Protoplanetary disks around three young stars

Swirling Planets November 9, 2016
V1331 Cygni, a newly forming star

Almost There June 14, 2016
Artist's concept of a young Jupiter-like planet

Young Giant August 27, 2015
Depiction of National Ignition Facility probing the interior of a giant planet

Into Darkness February 2, 2015
Artist's concept of a range of recently discovered exoplanets

Planet Hunting April 28, 2014
Dusty Vega system

Dust Trap June 14, 2013
Infrared image of the star Fomalhaut (center) and surround debris ring

Messy Building Zone September 18, 2012
Artist's concept of a free-floating planet in the Milky Way galaxy

Free Agent May 19, 2011
Artist's concept of a protoplanetary disk with wide gaps

Planet Nursery October 4, 2010

Radio Programs

Moon and Jupiter Giving birth to giant worlds April 10, 2017

Looking Deep Looking into the hearts of planets March 21, 2017

Autumn Star The dusty “autumn star” September 24, 2016

Heating Up Heating up the young Earth September 23, 2016

OSIRIS-Rex Digging into some leftovers September 6, 2016

More Juno at Jupiter Probing the birth of the planets July 3, 2016

Birth and Death Birth and death for distant planets June 13, 2016

Jupiter at Opposition How to make a giant planet March 7, 2016

Moon and Jupiter The might of a giant planet — after this. February 23, 2016

Hunting Planets IV Patiently looking for planets August 28, 2015

Hunting Planets III Looking for big, cold planets August 27, 2015

Moon and Saturn Probing the heart of a giant August 20, 2015

Exoplanets An astounding variety of planets June 8, 2015

Second Generation A second generation of planets June 7, 2015

Saturn at Opposition A big show for a big planet May 17, 2015

Moon and Jupiter “Warping” the heart of a planet February 1, 2015

Binary Planets Two planets for the price of one January 19, 2015

Hailstorm The inner planets take a beating December 28, 2014

More Rigel Clearing space around a giant star December 22, 2014

Winter Solstice Tilting back for the start of winter December 20, 2014

Distant Planets IV Young planets on the move April 30, 2014

Distant Planets III A giant planet near the head of the water snake April 29, 2014

In-Between Planets Super-Earths and mini-Neptunes March 3, 2014

Dawn Planets Siblings with no family resemblance November 23, 2013

Moon and Jupiter The king of the Olympics October 23, 2013

More Moon and Planets Putting a new spin on the evening star June 10, 2013

Solar Twins II Hunting for worlds like Earth June 1, 2013

Lots of Planets Strength of discovery in numbers March 8, 2013

Mercury in the Evening A visit from a reticent planet February 15, 2013

Water Worlds Filling oceans on distant worlds September 23, 2012

More Fomalhaut Cometary chaos around a young star September 17, 2012

Hot Jupiters Clearing out a star system September 14, 2012

Gamma Cephei III Keeping a planet on the table September 3, 2012

Dawn A witness to the dawn of the solar system August 21, 2012

Snow Line A solar system’s best spot for skiing April 3, 2012

Evening Mercury Rethinking the birth of a planet March 4, 2012