Over the last 50 years, as our
telescopes have got bigger and better, we have started to learn a little
bit about our cosmic neighbours.
And astronomers have found a huge array of planets out there, with some startling characteristics, certainly worthy of a mention in an intergalactic version of the Guinness Book of Records.
For instance there's the fastest planet - SWEEPS-10 - which flies around its sun at a distance of just 740,000 miles - about three times the moon's distance from Earth - meaning a year lasts just 10 hours.
This planet may also be a candidate for 'strangest', as it is so light - with the density of cork - that it probably drags around a comet-like tail composed of its own atmosphere. Stick it in a (king size) bath-tub and it would float.
Georgi Mandushev, of the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, said: 'It's mean density is only about 0.2 grams per cubic centimeter, or about the density of balsa wood.
'And because of the planet's relatively weak pull on its upper atmosphere, some of the atmosphere probably escapes in a comet-like tail.'
The catalogue of strange planets was put together by Space.com, and shows us some of the surprising characteristics of this universe, which continue to change our perception of physics.
For example, meet planet Methusela
(or, if you want the real name, PSR B1620-26 b). It is the oldest planet
ever discovered, one of the grandfathers of the universe, having formed
around 12.7billion years - making it eight billion years older than
Earth.
Methusela formed just two billion years after the Big Bang. The discovery in 1993 changed our perception of planet formation, implying there are many older planets out there waiting to discover.
Implications mean there is an increased likelihood of life in the universe - as life could have evolved earlier than thought - and the planet will have gone through may evolutions in its lifetime, making it a fascinating study as our observational skills grow.
NASA scientists also believe the planet may have evolved around a different star, which burnt itself out, before being captured by another passing star.
At the other end of the scale, at less than one million years old, is an as yet un-named planet, which orbits the star Coku Tau, at a relatively close 420 light years.
The hottest world yet
discovered is WASP-12b, a gaseous planet with a Sahara-beating top
temperature of about 2,200 degrees Celsius. It is also a contender for
one of the biggest, at almost twice Jupiter's size.
If that's too hot for you, try the coldest - OGLE-BLG-390L. At five times the mass of Earth, and thought to be rocky, it also is one of the furthest planets known to man, at a distance of 28,000 light-years.
The temperature on the surface? A freezing -220 degrees Celsius, which is below the boiling point of liquid nitrogen and close to absolute zero.
Epsilon Eridani (b) may not have
as many unique properties to single it out - but it does win a special
award for being just 10.5 light years away from us, meaning we may soon
be able to view it in through telescopes, just like we can with our own
solar neighbours today.
However, while we are unlikely to find life - the distance from its sun means any oceans would freeze - there are expected to be other planets in the same solar system which will be worth exploring.
Last, and on this occasion, certainly least, is the smallest planet on the list.
Kepler-10b is just 1.4 times larger than Earth, around 560 light years away, and was only announced to the world in January 2011.
While it is outside the so-called 'Goldilocks' zone - close enough to its own sun that water doesn't freeze, far away enough that the water does not boil off, it's discovery was heralded as a major landmark by NASA, as it was the first 'unquestionably rocky planet orbiting a star outside our solar system'.
With more advanced telescopes
reaching out into ever greater expanses of space and picking up new
planets every month, the question is: What fantastic discoveries the next fifty year will bring?
And astronomers have found a huge array of planets out there, with some startling characteristics, certainly worthy of a mention in an intergalactic version of the Guinness Book of Records.
For instance there's the fastest planet - SWEEPS-10 - which flies around its sun at a distance of just 740,000 miles - about three times the moon's distance from Earth - meaning a year lasts just 10 hours.
FASTEST: The planet SWEEPS-10 orbits its parent star such velocity that it completes an orbit - or a year - in just 10 hours
Or there's the largest planet known to
us - TrES-4 - which is 1.7 times the size of our solar system's
goliath, Jupiter.This planet may also be a candidate for 'strangest', as it is so light - with the density of cork - that it probably drags around a comet-like tail composed of its own atmosphere. Stick it in a (king size) bath-tub and it would float.
Georgi Mandushev, of the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, said: 'It's mean density is only about 0.2 grams per cubic centimeter, or about the density of balsa wood.
'And because of the planet's relatively weak pull on its upper atmosphere, some of the atmosphere probably escapes in a comet-like tail.'
LARGEST: TrES-4, 14,00 light years away, is a 'puffy' planet with an extremely low density
Honorary mention: Our own blue marble gets a nod for sustaining life
Methusela formed just two billion years after the Big Bang. The discovery in 1993 changed our perception of planet formation, implying there are many older planets out there waiting to discover.
Implications mean there is an increased likelihood of life in the universe - as life could have evolved earlier than thought - and the planet will have gone through may evolutions in its lifetime, making it a fascinating study as our observational skills grow.
NASA scientists also believe the planet may have evolved around a different star, which burnt itself out, before being captured by another passing star.
At the other end of the scale, at less than one million years old, is an as yet un-named planet, which orbits the star Coku Tau, at a relatively close 420 light years.
OLDEST: The ancient world of Methusela (named
after the oldest man in the Bible) is around 12.7 billion years old -
the oldest ever discovered
YOUNGEST: The babiest planet of them all, this one orbits Coku Tau - and is probably less than a million years old
If that's too hot for you, try the coldest - OGLE-BLG-390L. At five times the mass of Earth, and thought to be rocky, it also is one of the furthest planets known to man, at a distance of 28,000 light-years.
The temperature on the surface? A freezing -220 degrees Celsius, which is below the boiling point of liquid nitrogen and close to absolute zero.
HOTTEST: The surface is boiling on planet WASP-12b. The gaseous planet hits up to 2,200C
... TO COLDEST: At the other end of the scale, the frozen world of OGLE-2005-BLG-390L(b) is a very cold, rocky world
However, while we are unlikely to find life - the distance from its sun means any oceans would freeze - there are expected to be other planets in the same solar system which will be worth exploring.
CLOSEST: Epsilon Eridani (b) is only 10.5 light
years from us - so close that we may soon be able to observe it through
telescopes
Kepler-10b is just 1.4 times larger than Earth, around 560 light years away, and was only announced to the world in January 2011.
While it is outside the so-called 'Goldilocks' zone - close enough to its own sun that water doesn't freeze, far away enough that the water does not boil off, it's discovery was heralded as a major landmark by NASA, as it was the first 'unquestionably rocky planet orbiting a star outside our solar system'.
SMALLEST: Kepler-10b is the smallest known planet, and was only discovered in January 2011
