Its enormous gravitational field deflects comets and asteroids that might otherwise hit Earth, helping create a stable environment for life. However, giant planets elsewhere in the universe do not ...

While Jupiter may be our planetary guardian angel, protecting us from harm, gas giants in other solar systems might actually wreak havoc on other exoplanets nearby. In our solar system, Jupiter's huge ...

Ultra-accurate simulations of the gravity field guide toward a new mathematical foundation of gravity modelling. A layered Earth. (Courtesy: iStock/AlexLMX) The Earth is not a perfect sphere. This ...

Could a lonely planet wander aimlessly through the restless galaxy change the subtle dance of gravity within our solar system? Astronomers have new cause to investigate. With powerful telescopic ...

Planets orbit their parent stars while separated by enormous distances – in our solar system, planets are like grains of sand in a region the size of a football field. The time that planets take to ...

Chris Impey receives funding from the National Science Foundation. Planets orbit their parent stars while separated by enormous distances – in our solar system, planets are like grains of sand in a ...