Exoplanets and Brown Dwarfs

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What is an exoplanet?

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An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star outside our solar system.

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What is a brown dwarf?

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A brown dwarf is a substellar object that is too massive to be a planet but not massive enough to sustain hydrogen fusion like a star.

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Who discovered the first exoplanet around a sun-like star?

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Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz discovered the first exoplanet around a sun-like star, 51 Peg, in 1995.

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What is the significance of the transit method in exoplanet detection?

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The transit method detects exoplanets by observing the dimming of a star's light as a planet passes in front of it.

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What is the distance of Proxima Centauri from the Sun?

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Proxima Centauri is approximately 4.2 light years away from the Sun.

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What was the first exoplanet confirmed through independent observation?

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HD 209458b was the first exoplanet confirmed through independent observation.

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What is the role of spectroscopy in studying exoplanets?

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Spectroscopy helps analyze the light from stars to detect the presence of exoplanets and their atmospheres.

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What is the difference between a planet and a brown dwarf?

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A planet orbits a star and does not undergo fusion, while a brown dwarf is a failed star that has some fusion processes but not enough to be classified as a true star.

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What is the significance of the Kepler Space Telescope?

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The Kepler Space Telescope was crucial in discovering thousands of exoplanets using the transit method.

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What is the habitable zone?

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The habitable zone is the region around a star where conditions may be suitable for liquid water to exist on a planet's surface.