Exoplanets - Page 6

Exoplanets, or extrasolar planets, are planets that exist outside our solar system and orbit stars other than the Sun. These celestial bodies can vary widely in size, composition, and distance from their host stars, ranging from gas giants larger than Jupiter to small, rocky planets similar to Earth. The study of exoplanets encompasses various aspects, including their formation, potential habitability, atmospheric conditions, and the dynamics of their orbits. Exoplanets are typically detected using techniques such as the transit method, which observes the dimming of a star's light as a planet passes in front of it, and the radial velocity method, which measures the star's wobble due to gravitational pulls from orbiting planets. The discovery of thousands of exoplanets has expanded our understanding of planetary systems and the possibilities for life beyond Earth, contributing to the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life.