If we assume that the universe is infinite, then there are infinite stars and planets orbiting around them. Even today, scientists have discovered thousands of Exoplanets hurtling in their orbits in light-years from Earth.
Top amazing facts about Exoplanets
- Exoplanets (extrasolar planets) are any planets located in another star system.
- More than 2000 exoplanets are discovered already.
- Extraterrestrial life probably exists on the Exoplanet Kepler 186-F. This planet is located in the habitable zone of its star and it’s only slightly larger than Earth. But Kepler 186 is located 490 light-years away.
- Located 15 light-years away, the Exoplanet Gliese 832-C is also potentially habitable, but it is 5.4 times larger than Earth. A year there lasts 36 days.
- The oldest known Exoplanet is Kapteyn-B located in the red dwarf system 13 light-years from Earth. Its age is about 11.5 billion years.
- Kepler 78-B has almost the same size as Earth, but it orbits 90 times closer to its star. The temperature on the surface of this Exoplanet is 2700-5400 °F (1500-3000 °C).
- At least 7 Exoplanets orbit the star named HD 10180, but there could be 2 more.
- The hottest known exoplanet is WASP-33B, with a surface temperature of about 5800 °F (3,200 °C)
- The Exoplanet closest to Earth is Alpha Centauri C b located 4.2 light-years from our Solar System. By the way, Alpha Centauri C b is potentially habitable (check 70 facts about Solar System).
- Earth-like exoplanet Kepler 238-B may once have been theoretically habitable, but the powerful radiation of its star turned it into a radioactive wasteland.
- The wild wind blows at a speed of over 28.000 feet per second (8.500 meters per second) on the Exoplanet HD 189733b.