Reeta Maya Darjee (essay Exoplanets)

 

EXOPLANETS 

Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars outside our solar system. Scientists have been fascinated by these distant worlds ever since the first exoplanet was discovered in 1992. Unlike the planets in our solar system, exoplanets come in a wide variety of sizes, compositions, and orbits. Some are massive gas giants like Jupiter, while others are small, rocky planets like Earth.

The search for exoplanets has been greatly aided by advanced technology, like telescopes which detects  exoplanets by observing the dimming of a star’s light when a planet passes in front of it. This method, known as the transit method.

One of the most exciting aspects of exoplanet research is the possibility of finding habitable planets. Scientists look for exoplanets where conditions might be right for liquid water to exist. Finding such planets raises the interest of  possibility that life could exist elsewhere in the universe.

Despite the significant progress made, studying exoplanets is still challenging. They are incredibly far away, making it difficult to obtain detailed information about their atmospheres and surfaces. However, advancements in technology continue to improve our ability to study these distant worlds, bringing us closer to answering fundamental questions about the universe.

In conclusion, exoplanets are an exciting and rapidly growing field of study in astronomy. They expand our understanding of the cosmos and hold the potential to answer the age-old question of whether we are alone in the universe. As technology advances, the study of exoplanets will continue to uncover new and fascinating insights about the planets beyond our solar system.