The discovery of exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system, has been a major area of interest in astronomy over the last few decades.
It has always been a hot topic for astronauts and with the latest advances in technology, astronomers have been able to detect thousands of exoplanets and learn more about the diversity of planetary systems in the universe.
Here are some of the most interesting exoplanets discovered so far:
1. Kepler-186f
What if I told you that there are high chances of life existing elsewhere in the universe besides Earth? Kepler-186f If you believe me then here is where we could find it. Kepler-186f is a planet situated 500 light-years from Earth in the Cygnus constellation. This planet has a similar size to Earth and orbits a red dwarf planet. The most interesting part of this is that it is in the Habitable Zone.
What this essentially means is that there can be water on this planet and hence potential chances of finding any type of life. All these conditions together make this planet the prime target for future expeditions and studies.
2. HD 189733b
This is a planet situated around 63 light years away from Earth in the constellation Velpecula. This planet has come to the attention of scientists due to its vivid deep blue color. This color is formed on the planet not due to water but due to a very interesting phenomenon.
This planet happens to be a gas giant with not-so-serene conditions. The winds on this planet tend to travel at speeds exceeding 5400mph or 8700km/h. For comparison, the wind speeds on Jupiter are 268mph or 432km/h only. And the planet gets its distinct blue color due to the existence of silicate particles.
3. TRAPPIST-1e
This planet is part of the Trappist-1 system which happens to be the largest congregation of planets that are roughly Earth-sized. There are 7 such planets in the Trappist-1 system. It is located 40 light years away from Earth in the constellation Aquarius.
The planet Trappist-1e is located in the habitable zone of the system and has a high probability to host life. This also means that it has conditions suitable to have liquid water. These reasons have captivated scientists as they explore its potential for hosting life. Continued research aims to shed light on its composition and atmospheric characteristics.
4. 55 Cancri e
This planet has captivated scientists and netizens alike due to its very unique composition. It is speculated that this particular planet has a surface made up of diamonds and that the rain over there is also entirely diamonds. So if you somehow make it there you will surely get rich and maybe be get punctured by a falling diamond.
This planet is located 40 light years away from Earth in the 55 Cancri system. This planet is twice the size of Earth and orbits extremely close to its host star. It is understood that this unique condition of the planet is caused due to high temperatures and high pressure. As of now, there is a requirement for further investigation to confirm these conditions.
5. Wasp 12-b
This is one of the most unique exoplanets out there. This planet is a gas giant like Jupiter and is situated 870 light years away from Earth. Its most notable feature is that it orbits extremely close to its host star, due to this the planet completes an orbit in just a single day.
This unique condition stems due to the planet's very close distance from its host star. The distance is 1/43 of the distance between Earth and our Sun. This proximity has led to intense heating, causing the exoplanet's atmosphere to be stretched and torn apart by the star's gravitational force.
6. Gliese 581g
It is speculated and remarked by scientists that the probability of life existing on this planet is higher than any other planet. The reason behind this is that this planet is located close to a red dwarf star which happens to be in the habitable zone.
This interesting planet is located 20 light years away from us in the Libra constellation. Its existence was by debated by scientists, it is now but it is now being confirmed. Ongoing observations and future technological advancements aim to unravel the mysteries surrounding this intriguing exoplanet.
7. Kepler 22-b
You might have heard about this particular planet as this is one of the most intriguing planets ever discovered. Kepler 22b is a Super-Earth discovered in 2011 and is said to be a planet with the potential to host alien life. This is due to the reason that the planet is covered in a super ocean and is located in the habitable zone.
The planet is tilted on its side just like Uranus and with that, it has an orbital period of 299 days. These conditions together make this planet a place of intrigue for astronomers and the media.
8. PSR B1620 - 26B
This planet is also known as 'Methuselah' and receives intrigue from scientists due to its very unique planetary existence. Located around 12,400 light years away from Earth situated in the globular cluster Messier 4, this planet is said to be the oldest planet to ever exist. The age of this interesting planet is estimated to be 12.7 billion years old, for comparison the universe is said to be around 13.8 billion years old.
The discovery of Methuselah challenges our understanding of planetary formation and the conditions required for the existence of planets. It raises questions about the longevity and stability of planetary systems, especially in complex multi-star systems. Understanding the dynamics of such systems and the interactions between multiple stars and planets expands our knowledge of the universe's vast array of possibilities.
9. Proxima Centauri-b
Proxima Centauri-b is the closest known exoplanet to our solar system. This planet orbits a star called Proxima Centauri-b which is part of the larger triple star Alpha Centauri system in the constellation Centaurus.
This planet is located just 4 light years away from us and has shown possibilities for further exploration in the future. This planet is chosen for further exploration from the rest of the planetary system as it is located in the habitable zone.
10. Kepler-452b
This is the most similar Earth-Sun planet ever discovered. Due to this reason, the planet is dubbed as the Earth's cousin. Since its discovery in 2015, scientists have speculated the existence of water and an atmosphere on the planet due to its similarity to our Earth.
The planet’s radius is 1.63 times that of Earth. If the planet has a rocky composition, its mass would be about 5 times that of Earth. However, it is equally likely that the planet’s composition is like that of Neptune, a small rocky core surrounded by a thick mantle of ice and a gaseous envelope, and therefore its mass may be less than that. In any way, this planet stands as a possibility of discovering more such Earth-like planets in the future.
In conclusion,
Our universe is filled with many such interesting planets and many more such planets waiting to be discovered. Research on such planets and their existence may one day challenge the uniqueness of life on Earth and the understanding of the way in which life exists. For now, we can only marvel at the existence of these planets and hopefully one day be able to visit them and thrive.