It seems that new Exoplanets are being discovered every day. And yet, some discoveries can still bring a sense of excitement, awe and wonder. Such is the case with the seven planet system recently discovered using a multi-telescope effort, based on the original data obtained by the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile.
This new system is made all the more exciting because each of the planets is about the size of our earth and several lie in a region known as the habitable zone where the environment could contain liquid water and thus possibly support life. Peter Plavchan drops in today to discuss the discovery, its details and the implications for future research.