Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars outside of our own solar system. The study of exoplanets is a relatively new field, with the first exoplanet discovered in 1992. Since then, thousands of exoplanets have been discovered, and scientists estimate that there could be billions more in the Milky Way galaxy alone.
Types of Exoplanets:
1. Hot Jupiters: Large gas giants that orbit very close to their stars.
2. Super-Earths: Planets that are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune.
3. Mini-Neptunes: Planets that are smaller than Neptune but larger than Earth.
4. Terrestrial planets: Small, rocky planets like Earth.
5. Ice giants: Planets composed mostly of ice and gas.
Detection Methods:
1. Transit method: Measures the decrease in brightness as a planet passes in front of its star.
2. Radial velocity method: Measures the star's wobbling motion caused by an orbiting planet.
3. Direct imaging: Captures images of the planet directly using powerful telescopes.
Notable Exoplanets:
1. Kepler-452b: A potentially habitable exoplanet that orbits a G-type star (similar to the Sun).
2. Proxima b: An exoplanet that orbits Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun.
3. TRAPPIST-1e: One of seven Earth-sized planets that orbit the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1.
The search for exoplanets continues to captivate scientists and the public alike, offering insights into the possibility of life beyond Earth and the diversity of planetary systems in the universe.
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