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The 2006 IAU redefinition of planet excludes the possibility of double planets. [24] [25] [26] 15760 Albion: 1992 unknown Trans-Neptunian object: When discovered, these bodies were briefly hailed as the tenth and eleventh planets by the press, but it was then decided that 15760 Albion was the prototype of trans-Neptunian objects or cubewanos ...
The timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their natural satellites charts the progress of the discovery of new bodies over history. Each object is listed in chronological order of its discovery (multiple dates occur when the moments of imaging, observation, and publication differ), identified through its various designations (including temporary and permanent schemes), and the ...
Proper names of planetary systems often follow common themes – for example, the planets of the star Copernicus are named after European astronomers. Proper names for planets outside of the Solar System – known as exoplanets – are chosen by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) through public naming contests known as NameExoWorlds.
The first report of an exoplanet within this range was in 1998 for a planet orbiting around Gliese 876 (15.3 light-years (ly) away), and the latest as of 2024 is one around Struve 2398 A (11.5 ly). The closest exoplanets are those found orbiting the star closest to the Solar System, which is Proxima Centauri 4.25 light-years away
Initially, the names given to minor planets followed the same pattern as the other planets: names from Greek or Roman myths, with a preference for female names. With the discovery in 1898 of the first body found to cross the orbit of Mars, a different choice was deemed appropriate, and 433 Eros was chosen.
There are eight planets within the Solar System; planets outside of the solar system are also known as exoplanets. Artist's concept of the potentially habitable exoplanet Kepler-186f As of 24 January 2025, there are 5,830 confirmed exoplanets in 4,354 planetary systems , with 976 systems having more than one planet . [ 1 ]
The most distant potentially habitable planet confirmed is Kepler-1606b, at 2870 light-years distant, [3] although the unconfirmed planet KOI-5889.01 is over 5000 light-years distant. On 31 March 2022, K2-2016-BLG-0005Lb was reported to be the most distant exoplanet discovered by the Kepler telescope , at 17 000 light-years away.
While all other astronomers put the fixed stars on a rotating sphere just beyond the outer planets, Gersonides estimated the distance to the fixed stars to be no less than 159,651,513,380,944 Earth radii, or about 100,000 light-years in modern units. [56] [57]