News
First hints of possible water content of TRAPPIST-1 planets
An international team of astronomers led by Vincent Bourrier member of PlanetS used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to estimate whether there might be water on the seven earth-sized planets orbiting the nearby dwarf star TRAPPIST-1. The results suggest that the outer planets of the system might still harbour substantial amounts of water. This includes […]
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An inter- and multidisciplinary endeavor
By Klaus Mezger Planetary science is a multi-disciplinary research field that is populated by an unusually diverse group of scientists with very different backgrounds, competences and interests. Our NCCR PlanetS relies heavily on expertise that comes from very distinct scientific fields that have evolved over the last few hundred years and brought us an enormous […]
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Successful vibration test runs
During ten days in August 2017, the CHEOPS telescope had to withstand various tests on the shaker at the University of Bern simulating the conditions during the launch with a Soyuz rocket. The experiments were successful – a big step towards the completion of the flight model. The small control room in the shaker laboratory […]
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Talking about astronomy
How coherent are we in our language when teaching and talking about astronomy? By Nadine Afram During a conference about ‚Education in Astrophysics and Astrobiology‘, the audience was asked to point North. Many stretched their arm and pointed into a direction horizontally in front of them. We were wrong. We should have pointed in front […]
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Witnessing the great transit
Some members and associates of PlanetS were lucky to be able to watch the solar eclipse in the US on 21 August 2017. Together with colleagues, Gavin Coleman, postdoc at the University of Bern, attended an exoplanet conference at Boise State University that included a trip to view the amazing spectacle. By Gavin Coleman We […]
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A 10 to 50 billion USD project
NASA has just appointed Kevin Heng, director of the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) at the University of Bern, as an international observer to a study for its next, great space telescope to be launched in the 2030s. The Large UV/Optical/IR Surveyor (LUVOIR) is a concept for a highly capable, multi-wavelength space observatory. It […]
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Visit of Swiss science journalists
More than 30 Swiss science journalists visited PlanetS at the University of Bern and had a look at CHEOPS, CaSSIS and the vibration test laboratory. Each year at its general assembly, the Swiss Association of Science Journalism (SASJ) visits a renowned research institution. After the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology EMPA and […]
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Space research at «Nacht der Forschung»
Highlight of the third «Nacht der Forschung» of the University of Bern: 50 years space research At the «Nacht der Forschung» on Saturday September 16th, 2017, visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to meet more than 400 Bernese researchers and to try a broad choice of hands-on activities. As a highlight of the […]
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Communication request: Use our new form
The communication team is here to support you in all communication belongings. To increase the availability the team created an easy to fill form on the internal page. You have an idea for a media release, a Facebook post or a news item on the NCCR website? You’re looking for help in promoting your new […]
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Hubble Detects Exoplanet with Glowing Water Atmosphere
Scientists have found unmistakable evidence for a stratosphere on an enormous planet outside our solar system, with an atmosphere hot enough to boil iron. An international team of researchers, led by the University of Exeter and including researchers from PlanetS*, made the new discovery by observing glowing water molecules in the atmosphere of the exoplanet […]
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