found 7 exoplanets

NASA's big press release today was on the discovery of 7 Earth-sized rocky exo-solar planets around a nearby single star, TRAPPIST-1. Three of which are in the habitable zone. The confirmation, with Spitzer, of 7 planets breaks the record for exoplanets in the Goldilocks region.

The NASA press release has lots of information and graphics. There's more information at the Exoplanet Exploration page. One of the first articles I read was the one at Astronomy Now.

Back in early May, this system was in the news. At the time, the two inner most planets had been detected with a possible third.

They launched a new tourism poster. I'd go.

I watched the recorded news briefing (provided by TIME). It was good to see Dr Seager.

I just love how this is shaking everything up. Solar system models are being rewritten. This makes the development of more powerful telescopes increasingly compelling. People are intrigued by the rising possibilities of the discovery of life elsewhere in the cosmos. Exciting times.

§

TRAPPIST-1 is in the SkyTools 3 database as J230629.1-050222.