Study says, existence of earth-like exoplanets across the universe has been discovered by astronomers

The number of super-Earth exoplanets in the universe is significantly greater than previously thought, according to astronomers. Although detecting planets that orbit close to their stars is relatively straightforward, those with much wider orbits are significantly harder to find. Nevertheless, researchers now estimate that roughly one in every three stars hosts a super-Earth with an orbital period similar to that of Jupiter, indicating these planets are remarkably common across the cosmos.

An international team using the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) made this breakthrough, as detailed in a newly published study. By analyzing the light distortions caused by a host star’s gravitational pull and comparing their data with a broader sample from KMTNet’s microlensing survey, the researchers demonstrated that super-Earths can exist at vast distances from their stars, similar to the spacing between the sun and our solar system’s gas giants.

Although scientists already knew that there were more small planets than giant ones in general, this study showed some intriguing variances within that tendency, according to Andrew Gould, co-author of the paper and professor emeritus of astronomy at The Ohio State University. He stated, “It is very interesting that there are excesses and deficits within this overall pattern.”

Microlensing, the method used to make these observations, takes advantage of an effect where the gravitational field of a massive object warps the surrounding space-time, altering the path of light. When a star or planet passes between an observer and a distant background star, the light from the background source is bent and magnified, causing a temporary brightening. This brightening event can last from a few hours to several months, depending on the mass and motion of the intervening object.

Thanks to microlensing, researchers were able to uncover the presence of these distant super-Earths and refine estimates of their abundance, offering new insights into the structure and diversity of planetary systems beyond our own.