Kepler telescope spots 54 exoplanets in "habitable zone"

Of the over 1,200 exoplanets discovered orbiting nearby stars, the Kepler telescope and scientists working with the images have defined 68 that are relatively close in size to Earth, plus 54 in the "habitable zone", also known as the "Goldilocks" zone (not too hot, not too cold). If even one of these is ultra-close to Earth in climate this will prove to be incredibly inspiring news; Car 54 where are you?

These new discoveries mean a tripling from the previously known 400 or so exoplanets (planets outside our solar system, eg. orbiting a different star / sun), and one of these newly-discovered solar systems has at least six exoplanets, the most yet discovered in a solar system other than our own.


Keplar Solar system and Exoplanet links:

NASA'a Kepler telescope makes exciting exoplanet discoveries

Kepler exoplanets discovery excites astronomers

Solar System with 6 Planets found 2,000 light years from Earth