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Exoplanets are planets found outside our solar system, with over 200 discovered so far. Researchers use advanced techniques to locate them, and hope to find Earth-like planets and signs of life. Exoplanets are named after the stars they orbit in order of identification, not proximity.
Extrasolar planets or exoplanets are planets that are found outside our solar system. Study of the universe has revealed over 200 of these planetary bodies, and many more will likely continue to be found as human study of astronomy becomes even more sophisticated. Several universities and observatories have exoplanet research facilities dedicated to finding and identifying these planets, which is no mean feat when they are billions of light-years away.
The presence of exoplanets was speculated by numerous scientists and astronomers for centuries before the existence of an exoplanet was finally confirmed in 1988. A group of Canadian astronomers managed to identify a mass they believed to be an exoplanet; after much discussion of this initial discovery, their discovery was independently confirmed in 2003. Since 1988, a number of exoplanets have been discovered, mainly gaseous planets such as Jupiter.
Exoplanet researchers theorize that Earth-like planets could be discovered at some point. Several likely candidates have been identified, providing hope that life may have arisen in other parts of the universe. The existence of multiple gas giants like Jupiter is also promising, as some researchers believe Jupiter helped protect Earth during the formation of the solar system, allowing it to become a planet capable of supporting life. This function can also be performed by gas giants in other solar systems.
Locating an exoplanet is quite challenging, as the masses don’t emit as much light as stars, making them difficult to find through telescope observation. Many advanced astronomical imaging techniques are used in the search for exoplanets. Some researchers search for exoplanets by looking for characteristic changes in stars and other astrological phenomena, as planets leave distinctive marks even if they can’t be seen. Occasionally, an exoplanet is found during the transit, when it passes in front of its parent star, briefly dimming the star’s light.
Unlike the planets in our solar system, exoplanets don’t have terribly creative names. They are named after the stars they orbit in the order of discovery, using a small lowercase letter to denote each exoplanet, as is the case with Gamma Cep b, a relatively nearby exoplanet. It should be emphasized that exoplanets are not named in order of proximity to their parent star; they are named in order of identification by astronomers. The exact properties of many exoplanets are unknown, as it is difficult to observe details such as signs of life at such a great distance. Scientists hope to one day visit these planets on their own.
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