Extrasolar Planets

And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. -Moses 1:33

When I was in high school I was a horrible chemistry student. I really liked science but for some reason chemistry was beyond me. I despaired one term that my chemistry grade was going to ruin my GPA because for the life of me I just couldn't do well on the tests. Luckily, my teacher allowed us to do a ten page extra credit report to bring our grade up a full letter grade! We were able to choose the topic ourselves as long as it had something to do with science. I chose to write my paper on the search for extrasolar planets.

Ten pages in high school was a long paper and by the time I finished writing that paper I felt like an expert on the subject. So I am still always interested in reading about the latest findings in the area of extrasolar planets. Today I came across this article on MSN about the ten most intriguing extrasolar planets. I was amazed to read that there have now been almost 230 extrasolar planets detected throughout the universe. Twenty years ago it was just a theory, now a new detection is almost a mundane occurance.

Back when I wrote my paper most of the planets that had been discovered were giant gassy planets, like Jupiter, because only the large planets made a big enough impact to detect their presence. Scientists figured there probably were other smaller planets closer to the stars they orbited, even multiple planets orbiting around the same stars. Now new advances in the way they detect the planets has allowed scientists to find a lot more smaller, rockier, planets, and, as the article shows, a whole lot of other kinds of planets. It makes me excited to see what other scientific discoveries (and not just space discoveries) the world will see in my lifetime.

...wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease.- Moses 1:4