48 FAQs about Other Planetary Systems (The Astronomy Cafe)

Exoplanet Lists: Tables and Updates , Drake Equation Calculator

Geof Marcy's Group: Planet Search

Extrasolar Planets Encyclopedia: Harvard

Catalog of detections: Updated , Extrasolar Planet Encyclopedia

 Back to the Astronomy Cafe - 365 of the most popular questions since 1996. Over 1 million page requests!

Beginner:

  1. [Updated]What is the latest count on the number of extra-solar planets?
  2. [Updated]Which is the nearest planetary system to the Sun?
  3. [Updated]Could the Hubble Telescope see planets around other stars?
  4. [Updated]Have planets in binary star systems been detected yet?
  5. [Updated]What is the naming convention for planets around other stars?
  6. How many Earth-like planets do astronomers now think there are?
  7. Is it considered a proven fact that there are planets around other stars?
  8. Will space probes ever be sent to visit the newly-discovered planets around other stars?
  9. What are the scales of the newly-discovered solar systems compared to ours?
  10. What is an "Epistellar Jovian Exoplanet"?
  11. What does "MOP" have to do with "SETI"?
  12. Could life exist by extracting energy from its environment by some other means than what terrestrial organisms do?
  13. Are any of the newly discovered planets around other stars suitable for humans to live on?
  14. Can life exist without water?
  15. Is there a possibility that life exists on other planets?
  16. Are the planets discovered around other stars gas giants like jupiter, or are the big balls of rock?
  17. How would we know if a distant planet had an Earth-like atmosphere?
  18. Do big stars have more planets than small stars?
  19. Why can't we get pictures of planets outside the solar system?
  20. How do we know the new planets aren't just mini-stars because they are so massive?
  21. Will we ever find another planet we can colonize with some of Earth's population?

Intermediate:

  1. What method is used to discover planets around other stars?
  2. How can planets be present around pulsars which are exploded stars?
  3. How do astronomers know they are dealing with one planet not many in studying distant solar systems?
  4. Can Bode's Law be generalized to apply to other planetary systems?
  5. Is there a correlation between 'body plan' and whether ETs can have technology?
  6. Can stars other than G-type have habitable planets around them?

Advanced:

  1. How would the discovery of an Earth-like planet actually be made by astronomers?

 

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