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Exoplanets

The Kepler spacecraft has made a remarkable discovery - a Sun-like star with six orbiting planets. Nature considers what parameters we should use to define our search for another Earth, and how close Kepler is to actually finding one. But the planet-hunting community doesn't necessarily need expensive space telescopes to do its work, and is getting creative in devising ways to discover exoplanets 'on the cheap'.

Editorials

  • Earth 2.0

    The hunt is on for a distant planet similar to our own. Astronomers should decide just how similar it needs to be, before the candidates start pouring in.

    Nature 470, 5 ( )

Features

  • Astronomy: Exoplanets on the cheap

    The search for planets outside our Solar System will always be pricey. But creative solutions are proving that it no longer has to break the bank.

    Nature 470, 27-29 ( )

  • Astronomy: Beyond the stars

    Launched in 2009 to seek out worlds beyond the Solar System, the Kepler mission is exceeding expectations. Is it closing in on another Earth?

    Nature 470, 24-26 ( )

Research

Futures

  • To the stars

    Ken Liu and Shelly Li

    Nature 470, 134 ( )