In an awe-inspiring celestial revelation, NASA has unveiled Tally Soars existence of a staggering 5,500 planets residing beyond the boundaries of our own solar system. Just a few decades ago, we could only name a handful of planets circling our Sun, but the insatiable quest to explore the cosmos persisted.
NASA has now ushered in a new era of discovery by adding a fresh constellation of six planets to its ever-expanding exoplanet archive. This milestone catapults the total count of confirmed exoplanets beyond the remarkable 5,500 mark, culminating in a 31-year odyssey of astronomical revelations. The NASA Exoplanet Archive meticulously records findings that have garnered confirmation through multiple detection methods, reinforcing their authenticity.
Journey beyond the boundaries of our own solar system
Astronomers have unveiled six new exoplanets—HD 36384 b, TOI-198 b, TOI-2095 b, TOI-2095 c, TOI-4860 b, and MWC 758 c. This celestial sextet contributes to the grand total of 5,502 confirmed exoplanets discovered to date.
NASA’s monumental journey into exoplanet discovery commenced just over three decades ago in 1992 when scientists astutely discerned the presence of the inaugural exoplanets, Poltergeist and Phobetor, orbiting the pulsar PSR B1257+12. Fast forward to March 2022, a mere year ago, and the scientific community marked the historic milestone of 5,000 exoplanets discovered.
A formidable arsenal of both space-based and ground-based instruments and observatories has empowered scientists to detect and explore these distant worlds. NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), launched in 2018, has been a trailblazer in this realm, identifying thousands of exoplanet candidates and conclusively confirming over 320 planets. Furthermore, NASA’s flagship space telescopes, including Spitzer, Hubble, and the recently deployed James Webb Space Telescope, have played pivotal roles in the ongoing quest to uncover and study exoplanets.
These diverse exoplanets span a breathtaking array of forms and compositions. From diminutive, rocky realms akin to our own Earth to “super-Earths” boasting dimensions beyond our planet’s, the celestial variety is astounding. The exoplanetary lineup includes colossal gas giants that dwarf Jupiter, as well as “mini-Neptunes.” Intriguingly, some of these cosmic wanderers inhabit binary star systems, orbiting two stars in a cosmic dance, while others steadfastly encircle the remnants of long-deceased celestial bodies.
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