Only serious replies please, I really want to know. Don't use this just to gain points.
2006-12-01 14:38:27 · 13 answers · asked by Sandi A 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Absolutely! There are definitely other solar systems - within our galaxy, the Milky Way. Scientists estimate that there are hundreds of thousands of solar systems in just one galaxy! Not only that, once we begin to look at the "big" picture we find that there are nearly 1000 times more galaxies in our Universe than there are solar systems in each galaxy! That means, in the rough scheme of things, there are over 100,000,000,000 (one hundred billion) planets out there!
THAT'S what people mean when they say that Earth is unique!
Anyway, what exactly is in all of those solar systems?
Really, nobody knows. However, scientists estimate that, given their most recent observations, in our galaxy, only about 1000 planets appear to be able to harbor any life whatsoever!
That's why I like to call our Earth the "blue pearl in the black ocean".
The Milky Way - one of those minuscule blue dots is our entire solar system! (caution: LARGE PICTURE)
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/gallery/MilkyWay.jpg
each one of those "stars" is a galaxy!
http://www2.ifa.hawaii.edu/newsletters/images/spring02/pg1_ebeling-crop.jpg
Our solar system, pinpointed
http://www.ncsu.edu/project/agronauts/images/milky_way.jpg
2006-12-01 14:58:32 · answer #1 · answered by Ammy 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Given the available technology (being able to detect the slight wobble of a star)...we are only able to determine roughly 140 planets so far (so, about 140 other solar systems)--- but most planets discovered so far are enormous...about the size of Jupiter or larger--and 98% of them are gas giants. One astronomer has found a system that could possibly have what is coined a "Super Earth"...a rocky planet that is about 2.5 times the size of our own planet. Given the size, nothing probably could be able to survive on the planet...since the gravity would be tremendous.
One way to determine whether or not a star system has rocky planets is to find out the metalicity of the star. If it's lower in metal content (like Iron)..then the chance for dust/debris to form is lower...conversely, if a start has a high metalicity, like our Sun, then there is a higher chance of dust to form--leading to planet formation..
At this time, we are not able to detect smaller planets...but eventually we will--and if we are able to launch a telescope into Lunar orbit, we may be able to detect such minute wobbles...indicating smaller worlds...
2006-12-01 14:49:25 · answer #2 · answered by Charlie Bravo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since the 90s , many other solar systems have been found. Planets are observed by the wobble they cause to the star they orbit. I think that maybe only one planet has been seen directly so far although I am not sure of this. It would have to be super sized jupiter gas planet if so.
2006-12-01 14:54:55 · answer #3 · answered by kicking_back 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if every star in our galaxy were the size of a grain of salt there would be a tablespoon full of stars in our galaxy. if every star in the known universe were the size of a grain of salt there would be a ball 8 miles wide full of salt. to say that there are only 144 solar systems out there is to fool the soul.
we don't know how many are out there. there may be other styles of solar systems that we cannot record yet.
2006-12-01 15:18:25 · answer #4 · answered by pleiades-im-coming-home 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing quite like ours has been found yet, but we have located something like 144 extra-solar planets (a very very tiny fraction of the possible planets in our galaxy). The most I have heard of is a star with 3 planets orbiting it, but they are all too close to the sun to harbor life.
EDIT:: well, at least any life forms like ours
2006-12-01 14:41:39 · answer #5 · answered by david d 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
From Wikipedia:
Among the planets discovered
There are about 210 exo-planets in about 177 other star systems.
Oldest planet is about 12.7 billion years old.
Least massive planet has mass of about 0.02 times Earth
Largest planet has a radius 1.36 times that of Jupiter.
Farthest planet from us is at a distance of 21500 +- 3500 light years
Closest planet is at a distance of 10.4 light years
The first exoplanet was discovered in 1992, thats 14 years ago
EDIT: About 20 planets are being discovered every year
2006-12-01 15:38:38 · answer #6 · answered by Mayur 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. And more than likely their is life in them. Maybe not like the life in our solar system, there's a good chance there's life in them
2006-12-01 14:48:06 · answer #7 · answered by Maurice H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
144 solar-systems
2006-12-01 14:46:03 · answer #8 · answered by packerssuck2293 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, there is other solar system.
2006-12-01 15:32:11 · answer #9 · answered by M.R.Palaniappa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As far as we know or in the way that we percieve things to be, yes, there are other systems.
2006-12-01 14:49:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋