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Exoplanet

Exoplanets

An exoplanet is a planet which orbits a star that is not our Sun. The name exoplanet comes from 'extra-solar planet'.

On the bottom left, there is a section of a sun-like star, covering around half of the image. It is orange-yellow, with a large red-brown spot, and yellow-white loops leave the surface and arc around before joining again. Towards the upper right of the image, there is an illustration of a planet. It is dark brown but lighter where the star shines on it. The background is blue-black with some small white dots of stars. Behind the planet there is a cloudy band, similar to the one of the Milky Way.
This work by ESA/NASA/G. Tinetti (University College London, UK & ESA)/M. Kornmesser (ESA/Hubble) is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Artist's impression of exoplanet HD 189733b