Includes bibliographical references (pages 246-248) and index.
The quest begins -- Infinity and beyond -- New arrivals in the Solar System -- Why stars wobble -- Neutron planets -- Brown dwarfs in the headlines -- Sirens in the cosmos -- Foreign planets different to our home-grown ones -- Destination: earths! -- Further yet: life.
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"With the discovery in 1995 of the first planet orbiting another ordinary star, we know that planets are not unique to our own Solar System. For centuries, humanity has wondered whether we are alone in the Universe. We are now finally one step closer to knowing the answer. The quest for exoplanets is an exciting one, because it holds the possibility that one day we might find life elsewhere in the Universe, born in the light of another sun. Written from the perspective of a key player in the scientific adventure, this account describes the development of the modern observing technique that has enabled astronomers to find so many planets orbiting around other stars. It reveals the wealth of new planets that have now been discovered outside our Solar System, and what this means in terms of finding other life in the Universe."--Jacket.