Earth-mass planet discovered in nearby Alpha Centauri star system

Artist’s concepton of the planet orbiting Alpha Centauri B. Credit: ESO / L. Calçada / N. Risinger

This has been a good week for exoplanets – first the reported discovery of a world with four suns, and now something that many people had been hoping for, a planet in the closest star system to Earth, Alpha Centauri!

Read MoreEarth-mass planet discovered in nearby Alpha Centauri star system

Tatooine times two: Kepler space telescope finds a planet with four suns

Artist’s concepton of PH1 orbiting the two closest binary stars, with the second pair of stars farther out. Credit: Haven Giguere / Yale

Until recently, astronomers only knew about exoplanets which, like those in our own solar system, orbited a single star. Then, the first one was discovered which orbits two stars, much like Tatooine in the Star Wars films. Since then, other similar planets have been found, indicating that such circumbinary planets (those which orbit double stars) may be fairly common.

Read MoreTatooine times two: Kepler space telescope finds a planet with four suns

Mystery object found by Curiosity rover is ‘benign plastic’

The piece of “benign plastic” photographed by the Curiosity rover. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Malin Space Science Systems

The odd-looking mystery object photographed a few days ago by the Curiosity rover appears to have been positively identified now – it is just a small piece of plastic from the rover itself.

Read MoreMystery object found by Curiosity rover is ‘benign plastic’

Curiosity rover finds something odd while digging in the sand

Close-up view of the mystery object found by the Curiosity rover. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

Only a few days after starting to take soil samples for the first time, the Curiosity rover has had to put its activities on hold temporarily. Mission scientists noticed something unusual in the latest images taken of the area where the rover had been digging – a small bright object on the sand. What is it?

Read MoreCuriosity rover finds something odd while digging in the sand