Exoplanets are planets outside our solar system. Although the existence of exoplanets has long been suspected, the first definitive proof of an exoplanet wasn't until 1992. Since that time, over 5000 exoplanets have been discovered, and in 2018, scientists confirmed there are more planets than stars in our galaxy. Above: James Webb Space Telescope
This is a short video from NASA/JPL-CalTech (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) explaining and celebrating the milestone of confirming over 5000 exoplanets in March 2022.
This is one more short video explaining the various telescopes that have been used to look for exoplanets. "NASA's Exoplanet Superheroes," 2022.
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Above: Transiting Exoplanet Surveying Satellite (TESS)
Scientists use many pieces of equipment, both on Earth and in the sky, to hunt for exoplanets. Some, like the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Kepler Space Telescope, are no longer functioning, but the data they collected is still being studied. Others, such as the Transiting Exoplanet Surveying Satellite (TESS) and the James Webb Space Telescope, have recently been launched and are already adding to our knowledge of exoplanets and our understanding of the universe. This is a short 3D video showing the progression of exoplanet discoveries using animation and sonification.
March 2022 by NASA/JPL-Caltech/M. Russo, A. Santaguida (SYSTEM Sounds). |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Page A timeline of discoveries, the most updated list of confirmed exoplanets and potential exoplanet candidates, and the Exoplanet Travel Bureau. How to Search for Exoplanets From The Planetary Society, a good overview of the many ways in which humanity searches for exoplanets. The Searchers: NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) An opinion piece and overview about JPL's role in exoplanet discovery and searching for life on other planets. by Dave Eggers, The Washington Post, Sept. 17, 2024. CHEOPS The website of the Characterizing Exoplanets Satellite, launched by the Euorpean Space Agency (ESA) in 2019 with the primary mission of collecting more detailed data on known exoplanets. Includes a map showing the live position of CHEOPS. Earth as an Exoplanet A fun perspective! An Astrobites article by Jack Lubin summarizing a research paper by Lisa Kaltenegger and Josh Pepper about "Earth as an Exoplanet," Feb. 2023. |