All about Exoplanet-Prelims-2017

  • An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet that orbits a star other than the Sun. There are planets that are so near to their star that they take only a few hours to orbit and there are others so far away that they take thousands of years to orbit. Some are so far out that it is difficult to tell whether they are gravitationally bound to the star.
  • The discovery of exoplanets has intensified interest in the search for extraterrestrial life. There is special interest in planets that orbit in a star’s habitable zone, where it is possible for liquid water, a prerequisite for life on Earth, to exist on the surface. The study of planetary habitability also considers a wide range of other factors in determining the suitability of a planet for hosting life.
  • Besides exoplanets, there are also rogue planets, which do not orbit any star and which tend to be considered separately, especially if they are gas giants, in which case they are often counted

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