Headlines:
• **Astronomy and Space Exploration
**: NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the lunar surface by 2024, with an eventual goal of establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon. (Source: NASA, January 2022) • **Notable Discoveries
**: The European Space Agency's Rosalind Franklin rover has discovered evidence of ancient water on Mars, providing insights into the planet's habitability. (Source: ESA, February 2022) • **Planetary Science
**: Scientists have detected water vapor on 96 exoplanets, challenging the search for --- beyond Earth and prompting further investigation. (Source: Harvard University, February 2022) • **Environmental News
**: A new study reveals that Venus, often considered Earth's twin, is losing its magnetic field at an alarming rate, threatening its habitability. (Source: University of Colorado... January 2022) • **Astrophysics
**: Researchers have discovered a giant arc of ionized gas surrounding the galaxy ESO 288-G009, expanding our understanding of galaxy evolution. (Source: University of California, January 2022) • **Space Technology
**: A private space company, SpaceX, is developing a new generation of reusable rockets capable of carrying humans to the Moon and Mars. (Source: SpaceX, February 2022) • **Black Hole Research
**: A team of scientists has detectedthe signature of a new supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy, shedding light on the early universe. (Source: University of California... January 2022) • **Exoplanets and Biosignatures
**: Researchers have identified a promising exoplanet, "TOI 700 d," "that may harbor conditions suitable for supporting ---," making it a prime target for further study. (Source: NASA, February 2022)
Exomoons are a hot topic in the science community, as none have been confirmed with astronomers finding new and creative ways to identify them.
But while astronomers have searched for exomoons orbiting exoplanets around single stars like our Sun, could exomoons exist around exoplanets orbiting binary stars?
This is what a recent study submitted to The Astrophysical Journal hopes to address as a team of researchers from Tufts University investigated the statistical likelihood of exomoons orbiting exoplanets with two stars, also known as circumbinary planets (CBPs).
This study holds the potential to help researchers better understand methods needed for identifying exomoons in a variety of exoplanetary systems.
Gordon tells Universe Today, "We were motivated at the start by a couple of ideas, but my biggest source of inspiration was the idea that circumbinary planets are thought to have a farther minimum distance than single star planets, meaning that more circumbinary planets would be likely to lie within the "habitable zone".
It's not a trivial question to ask if moons in these chaotic systems of 2 stars and a planet would be stable, so we were eager to find an answer!"
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