European scientists recently have discovered 45 new exoplanets. An exoplanets (or extra solar planet) is a planet orbiting a star different from the sun. The prefix ‘exo’ prefix means ‘outside’ in Greek.

          The discovery includes three ‘super-Earths’ orbiting a single Sun-like a star. The planets are less than 30 times the mass of Earth. All orbit very close to their star, Hence, they are considered too hot to support any kinds of larger life.

          It was only in 2005 that he first earth- sized exoplanet was discovered. However it was only in April 2007 that the first Earth-sized exoplanet was discovered in the so-called habitable zone. (The habitable zone is the distance from a star that provides temperature at which liquid water is stable). More than 245 exoplanets have since discovered.

          The search for exoplanets is one of the most exiting fields in astronomy The discovery demonstrates the planets keep popping up in unexpected places around the universe. It will the question on day of weather we are alone in the universe.

          The extrasolar planets using the HARPS instrument on the 3.4 meter telescope at the European southern Observatory in Chile.