disruptive planets
discovering and studying new worlds to consolidate our understanding of planets and habitats.
In the Media
2020
Niraula, P., de Wit, J., Rackham, B. V., et al. π Earth: A 3.14 day Earth-sized Planet from K2's Kitchen Served Warm by the SPECULOOS Team, The Astronomical Journal, 160 (172), 2020.
The Astronomical Journal - π Earth: A 3.14 day Earth-sized Planet from K2's Kitchen Served Warm by the SPECULOOS Team
MIT News - Astronomers discover an Earth-sized "pi planet" with a 3.14-day orbit
Fox News - "Mysterious 'pi planet' discovered in deep space"
Forbes - Here's how Researchers Discovered Pi Earth, The Planet With A 3.14 Day Orbit
2019
2019 MATH+X Symposium, 01/19 (Invited Talk), “New Worlds, New Perspectives”
2018
de Wit, J., Wakeford H., Lewis N., et al. Atmospheric Reconnaissance of TRAPPIST-1’s Habitable-zone Earth-sized Exoplanets, Nature Astronomy, 2 (214), 2018.
Nature - Atmospheric reconnaissance of the habitable-zone Earth-sized planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1
NASA - New Clues to TRAPPIST Planet Compositions
2017
Gillon, M., Triaud, A., Demory, B.-O., de Wit, J., et al. Seven temperate terrestrial planets around the nearby ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 Nature, 542 456-460, 2017.
Nature - Seven temperate terrestrial planets around the nearby ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1
NASA - Earth-Sized planets: The newest, weirdest generation
de Wit, J., Lewis, N., Knutson, H., Fuller, J., Antoci, V., et al. Planet-induced Stellar Pulsations in HAT-P-2’s Eccentric System, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 836, L17, 2017.
The Astrophysical Journal Letters - Planet-induced Stellar Pulsations in HAT-P-2's Eccentric System
NASA - Spitzer hears stellar 'heartbeat' from planetary companion
MIT, 02/17 (Public event), “New Worlds, New Discoveries: a major leap in the search for life beyond our solar system”
Broad Institute, 03/17 (Invited Talk), MIA Meetings, “A Pseudo-random Walk from New Worlds to Diabetes”
MIT, 03/17 (Keynote), Beyond the Cradle, “New Worlds, New Perspectives”
TEDxLiège, 05/17 (Invited Talk), “Finding Life Elsewhere: an Imminent Paradigm-shifting Experience”
2016
de Wit, J., Wakeford H., Gillon, M., Lewis N., Valenti, J., et al. A combined transmission spectrum of the Earth-sized exoplanets TRAPPIST-1 b and c, Nature, 537 69-72, 2016.
Nature - A combined transmission spectrum of the Earth-sized exoplanets TRAPPIST-1 b and c
National Geographic - Hubble Gets First Peek at Atmospheres of Rocky Alien Planets
Gillon, M., Jehin, E., Lederer, S., Delrez, L., de Wit, J., et al. Temperate Earth-sized planets transiting a nearby ultracool dwarf star, Nature, 533 221-224, 2016.
Nature - Temperate Earth-sized planets transiting a nearby ultracool dwarf star
ESO (European Southern Observatory) - Three Potentially Habitable Worlds Found Around Nearby Ultracool Dwarf Star
Demory, B.-O., Gillon, M., de Wit, J., Madhusudhan, N., A map of the large day-night temperature gradient of a super-Earth exoplanet” et al. Nature, 532 207-209. 2016.
Nature - A map of the large day-night temperature gradient of a super-Earth exoplanet
NASA - NASA's Spitzer Maps Climate Patterns on a Super-Earth
de Wit, J., Lewis, N., Langton, J., Laughlin, G., Deming, D., et al. Direct Measure of Radiative and Dynamical Properties of an Exoplanet Atmosphere, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 820 L33, 2016.
The Astrophysical Journal Letters - Direct Measure of Radiative and Dynamical Properties of an Exoplanet Atmosphere
NASA - Investigating the Mystery of Migrating 'Hot Juptiers'
2013
de Wit, J. & Seager, S., Constraining Exoplanet Mass from Transmission Spectroscopy, Science, 342 (6165), 1473-1477, 2013.
Science - Constraining Exoplanet Mass from Transmission Spectroscopy
MIT News - New technique measures mass of exoplanets
Demory, B.-O., de Wit, J., Lewis, N., Fortney, J., Zsom, A., et al. Inference of Inhomogeneous Clouds in an Exoplanet Atmosphere, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 776 L25, 2013.
The Astrophysical Journal Letters - Inference of Inhomogeneous Clouds in an Exoplanet Atmosphere
NASA - NASA Space Telescope Find Patchy Clouds on Exotic World