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Exoplanet

Kepler-16b
Kepler-16b is an intriguing exoplanet located about 200 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. It orbits two stars, making it a circumbinary planet, which means its skies feature two suns.
Kepler-16b
Kepler-16b is a gas giant, similar in size to Saturn, and it's mostly composed of gas rather than solid material. It lies outside its stars' habitable zone, meaning it is likely too cold to support life as we know it, with surface temperatures estimated to be around -100°C (-148°F). Discovered by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope in 2011, Kepler-16b was one of the first exoplanets found to orbit two stars.

Discovery date

December 5, 2011

Radius

2.4 times that of Earth (estimated)

Mass

Around 10 to 20 times Earth's mass

Distance from Earth

About 600 light-years away

Surface temperature

Around -100°C (-148°F).

51 Pegasi b
51 Pegasi b, also known as "Dimidium," was the first exoplanet discovered orbiting a Sun-like star, 51 Pegasi, located about 50 light-years away in the constellation Pegasus. Discovered in 1995, it marked a major breakthrough in astronomy.
51 Pegasi b
51 Pegasi b is a gas giant, similar in size to Jupiter, but it's much closer to its star, completing an orbit in just about 4 days. This classifies it as a "hot Jupiter," a type of planet that is large and gaseous but orbits very close to its parent star. Its surface temperatures are extremely high due to its proximity, making it an inhospitable world. The discovery of 51 Pegasi b opened the door to the detection of thousands of other exoplanets.

Discovery Date

October 6, 1995

Radius

About 1.07 Earth radii

Mass

About 0.47 Jupiter masses

Distance from Earth

About 50 light-years

Surface Temperature

Around 1,200 K (927 °C; 1,700 °F)

PSO J318.5-22
PSO J318.5-22 is a free-floating rogue planet located about 80 light-years away in the constellation Capricornus. It doesn't orbit a star and is part of the Beta Pictoris moving group.
PSO J318.5-22
PSO J318.5-22 is around 6.5 times the mass of Jupiter and is relatively young, with an estimated age of about 12 million years. This rogue planet is particularly interesting for astronomers because it allows for the study of planetary atmospheres and formation without the interference of a nearby star.

Discovery Date

November 2013

Radius

Estimated to be similar to that of Jupiter

Mass

Approximately 6.5 Jupiter masses

Distance from Earth

About 80 light-years away

Surface Temperature

Around 1,500 K (1,227 °C; 2,240 °F)

TRAPPIST-1e
TRAPPIST-1e is one of the seven Earth-sized exoplanets orbiting the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, located about 39 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius.
TRAPPIST-1e
TRAPPIST-1e is located within the habitable zone of its star, making it one of the most promising candidates for potential habitability. It has a similar size to Earth and may possess conditions suitable for liquid water on its surface.

Discovery Date

February 2017

Radius

Approximately 1.03 times that of Earth.

Mass

About 0.8 times the mass of Earth.

Distance from Earth

About 40 light-years away

Surface Temperature

Around 210 K (-63 °C; -82 °F)

WASP-12b
WASP-12b is an exoplanet orbiting the star WASP-12, located about 870 light-years away in the constellation Auriga. It is known for its incredibly close orbit and its status as one of the hottest known exoplanets.
WASP-12b
WASP-12b is a gas giant with a mass approximately 1.4 times that of Jupiter. Due to its proximity to its host star, it experiences extreme temperatures of over 2,500 K, causing its atmosphere to puff up and gradually evaporate into space.

Discovery Date

April 2008

Radius

Approximately 1.9 times that of Jupiter

Mass

About 1.4 times the mass of Jupiter

Distance from Earth

About 870 light-years away

Surface Temperature

Around 2,500 K (2,227 °C; 4,040 °F)

Gliese 581g
Gliese 581g is an exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581, located about 20 light-years away in the constellation Libra. It has garnered attention for potentially being within the habitable zone, where liquid water could exist on its surface.
Gliese 581g
Gliese 581g is a rocky planet with an estimated mass about 3 to 4 times that of Earth. It resides in the star's habitable zone, raising the possibility of Earth-like conditions, though its discovery is debated and requires further confirmation.

Discovery Date

September 2010 (disputed)

Radius

Approximately 1.5 times that of Earth

Mass

About 3 to 4 times the mass of Earth

Distance from Earth

About 20 light-years away

Surface Temperature

Estimated to be between 228 K to 318 K (-45 °C to 45 °C)

55 Cancri e
55 Cancri e is an exoplanet located about 41 light-years away in the constellation Cancer. It orbits very close to its parent star, making it one of the hottest known rocky planets.
55 Cancri e
55 Cancri e is a rocky super-Earth, with a mass about 8 times that of Earth. Its surface temperature is extremely high due to its proximity to its host star, and its year lasts less than 18 hours. It is tidally locked, meaning one side always faces the star.

Discovery Date

August 2004

Radius

Approximately 1.9 times that of Earth

Mass

About 8 times the mass of Earth

Distance from Earth

About 41 light-years away

Surface Temperature

Over 2,400 K (2,100 °C; 3,800 °F)

LHS 1140 b
LHS 1140 b is a rocky exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf star LHS 1140, located about 41 light-years away in the constellation Cetus. It is situated in the habitable zone of its host star, making it one of the best candidates for finding liquid water and potentially life.
LHS 1140 b
LHS 1140 b is a super-Earth with a mass about 6.6 times that of Earth. It orbits its star at a distance that could allow liquid water to exist on its surface, despite receiving less light compared to Earth. Its dense atmosphere and rocky composition make it a prime candidate for further study.

Discovery Date

April 2017

Radius

Approximately 1.4 times that of Earth

Mass

About 6.6 times the mass of Earth

Distance from Earth

About 41 light-years away

Surface Temperature

Estimated around 230 K (-43 °C; -45.4 °F)