Exoplanets
Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars beyond our own Sun. While the concept of planets around other stars has existed for centuries, the first confirmed exoplanet discoveries were made in the 1990s. Since then, astronomers have identified thousands of exoplanets using telescopes on Earth and in space.
Exoplanets come in many forms, from gas giants larger than Jupiter to rocky worlds similar to Earth. Some orbit very close to their stars, experiencing intense heat, while others orbit at distances where temperatures may allow for liquid water—a key ingredient for life as we know it.
The search for exoplanets has revealed incredible diversity. Some systems have planets in tightly packed orbits, while others have planets orbiting in resonance or even circling two stars (circumbinary planets). By studying exoplanets, scientists hope to answer the age-old question: Are we alone in the universe?
The Kepler Space Telescope has discovered more than 2,600 exoplanets!