Changes

== Current count ==

== Current count ==

As of February 2014, the number of extrasolar planets detected stands at about 1,700, with NASA announcing (February 26) that the Kepler Telescope had discovered 715 during the previous year.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/02/27/nasa-announces-mother-lode-new-planets-715/</ref><ref>http://www.space.com/24824-alien-planets-population-doubles-nasa-kepler.html</ref> Since the detection methods devised to date favor large, gaseous planets, most of the detected planets are quite dissimilar to Earth, and they are not thought to be good candidates for finding life.  However, the planet [[Gliese 581c]] orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581 (approximately 20 light-years from earth) appears to be a terrestrial, i.e. rocky, planet that orbits in the "[[habitable zone]]" of space surrounding its star.

As of February 2014, the number of extrasolar planets detected stands at about 1,700, with NASA announcing (February 26) that the Kepler Telescope had discovered 715 during the previous year.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/02/27/nasa-announces-mother-lode-new-planets-715/</ref><ref>http://www.space.com/24824-alien-planets-population-doubles-nasa-kepler.html</ref> Since the detection methods devised to date favor large, gaseous planets, most of the detected planets are quite dissimilar to Earth, and they are not thought to be good candidates for finding life.  However, the planet [[Gliese 581c]] orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581 (approximately 20 light-years from earth) appears to be a terrestrial, i.e. rocky, planet that orbits in the "[[habitable zone]]" of space surrounding its star.

==See also==

==See also==