The Euclid space telescope has discovered seven new rogue planets, shedding light on the dark and lonely worlds that sail freely across the universe, untethered to any star.
These planets are not bound to a star like the Earth is to the Sun, have no days or years, and exist in perpetual darkness.
Scientists believe there is a chance they may support life, and estimate there may be trillions scattered throughout the Milky Way.
The European Space Agency revealed the first scientific data from the Euclid telescope since its launch in July.
Seven new free-floating planets were discovered, each at least four times the mass of Jupiter. They were found in the Orion Nebula, the nearest star-forming region to Earth, approximately 1,500 light years away.
Euclid also confirmed the existence of dozens of other previously identified rogue planets.
According to the Spanish astronomer Eduardo Martin, the lead author of a pre-print study published on arXiv.org on Friday, this is likely just the tip of the iceberg.
“Spotting rogue planets is like finding a needle in a haystack since they do not reflect the star’s light”, said Martin.
Younger planets, like those discovered by Euclid, are hotter, making them easier to spot.
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