51 Pegasus b - NASA Visions of the Future Material:Photo Paper

51 Pegasus b - NASA Visions of the Future Material:Photo PaperIn 1995, scientists discovered 51 Pegasi b and changed the way we see the universe and our place in it forever. There is debate over which exoplanet was discovered is considered the "first," one stands out from the rest. The exoplanet is about half the mass of Jupiter, with a seemingly impossible, star hugging orbit of only 4. 2 Earth days. Not only was it the first planet confirmed to orbit a sun like star, it also ushered in a whole new class of

The Hubble telescope captured a beautiful display of starlight

Bressert (ESO)

This discovery was made by Kepler

whipping the surroundings into fantastic forms

almost twice the diameter of our Milky Way galaxy

just like you would find in your summer garden

the infrared-light image from the Spitzer telescope sees deeper into the spiral arms to reveal the glow of dust lanes where dense clouds can collapse to form new stars

unveiling some of nature's own fireworks

at eight time the Earth's mass

from the curving arms where newborn stars spin

Barred spiral galaxies are named for the central bar of stars that connects the spiral arms of the galaxy

Wandering alone in the galaxy