1. Frontiers in Exoplanet Research
Michael Endl

2. There are ~200 billion stars in our galaxy…
…one of them is our Sun.

3. Are there other planets in the universe? How do planets form?
Is there another Earth out there?
SCRIPT: Are there other planets in the universe? Is there another Earth out there?
WHAT’S ON THE SLIDE: The crew of Apollo 8 took this picture of the Earth above the lunar surface in December 1968.
EXTRAS: The horizon, about 570 kilometers (250 statute miles) from the spacecraft, is near the eastern limb (edge) of the Moon as viewed from the Earth. 2

4. Planets in the Making:

5. Planet Population Statistics for periods < 85 days!

6. What are these small planets?
Mass versus radius relation for small planets.
The solid lines are homogeneous compositions:
water ice (solid blue),
MgSiO3 perovskite (solid red), and
iron (magenta).
The non-solid lines are mass–radius relations for differentiated planets: 75% water ice, 22% silicate shell and 3% iron core (dashed blue);
Ganymede-like with 45% water ice, 48.5% silicate shell and 6.5% iron core (dot-dashed blue); 25% water ice, 52.5% silicate shell and 22.5% iron core (dotted blue);
approximately Earth-like with 67.5% silicate mantle and 32.5% iron core (dashed red); and
Mercury-like with 30% silicate mantle and 70% iron core (dotted red). The dashed magenta curve corresponds to the density limit from a formation model.
Point out the 55 Cnc e point will move to a mass of / Earth masses – in next slide
Super-Earths
F Fressin et al. Nature 482, 195 (2012) 7

7. Ocean Planets
Sotin, Grasset, Mocquet 2007
Note that the “ocean” is really a high-pressure form of “ice” and not liquid water.

8. Kepler is looking for EARTH-SIZE habitable planets.9

9. Atmospheric Characterization:

14. The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT):