The universe is endlessly fascinating, filled with countless mysteries and secrets waiting to be uncovered. Among the most captivating of these mysteries are exoplanets, the planets beyond our solar system. For many years, the prospect of discovering alien worlds had been the stuff of science fiction, but with advances in technology and scientific ingenuity, astronomers have been able to detect and study exoplanets with increasing accuracy and detail. As a result, we now know of thousands of exoplanets, each unique in its own way. In this article, we will explore the latest discoveries and advancements in exoplanet exploration, and what they reveal about the potential for life beyond Earth. The Early Days of Exoplanet Detection The first confirmed detection of an exoplanet came in 1995, when Swiss astronomers Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz detected a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a star 50 light-years away from us. The planet, dubbed “51 Pegasi b”, was detected by observing the star’...
A captivating junction where scientific curiosity meets explanation