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There are lots of promising leads
for life in our solar system,
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but so far, nothing definite.
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That's why NASA and its international
partners run overlapping missions.
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So they can follow
as many different leads as possible.
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So maybe we need to think even bigger
and look outside the solar system.
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I thought you'd never ask, Charles.
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As this map shows,
the galaxy is pretty big.
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Our solar system is right about there.
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By that speck of dust?
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It is that speck of dust.
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Where are all these planets hiding?
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When you look at the night sky,
all you see is space and stars.
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True, but each of those stars is
a sun that might have its own planets.
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Exactly!
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Sorry about that.
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I've been working
on my dramatic entrances.
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But Marcie is right.
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Every star is a sun,
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and the planets orbiting
those distant suns are called exoplanets,
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or planets outside of our solar system.
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NASA has been looking for them for years.
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The search for exoplanets is
one of NASA's most exciting projects.
The search for exoplanets is
one of NASA's most exciting projects.
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{\an8}One way we look for them is
to study distant stars
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{\an8}to see if there's a little dip
in their brightness.
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{\an8}That dip could indicate
a planet passing by as it orbits the star.
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We can follow up with other telescopes
that look for a little wobble in the light
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that could also be caused by a planet.
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When we do find a planet,
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we use very powerful space telescopes,
like Hubble or the James Webb Telescope,
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to examine the planet more closely,
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to see if it might be able
to support life.
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We've already recorded
quite a few exoplanets.
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Have a look.
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Wow!
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Here's a planet that orbits the star
once every 18 hours.
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That means a year is only 18 hours long!
That means a year is only 18 hours long!
37
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It would be your birthday every day.
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Happy birthday to me
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Happy birthday to me
40
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Happy birthday to me
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Happy birthday to me
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Unfortunately, Sally,
that planet is incredibly hot,
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and the surface is made out of gas.
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Not the best spot for a birthday party.
45
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Oh, well, I'd probably get a stomachache
from all that cake anyway.
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Here's an exoplanet that has two suns.
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Imagine how fast my garden would grow.
48
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Nothing beats a double sunny day
and some hard work in the garden.
49
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I'm tired just thinking about it.
50
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Don't let the two suns fool you, Lucy.
51
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The average temperature on that planet is
much too cold to grow your garden.
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Also, minor point, it has no soil.
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These exoplanets don't seem
very promising so far.
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That's only two. It says here
NASA has discovered over 4,000.
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4,000?
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And that's just the ones we know about.
The actual number is probably closer to--
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A jagillion?
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That's not a real number.
59
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More like a hundred billion.
60
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And that's just in the Milky Way.
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Which is one of billions
and billions of galaxies!
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Billions and billions?
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Just when you think
you understand the universe.
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Those are the controls
for a high-powered telescope.
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Charlie Brown!
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I hope I didn't break it.
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I don't think my allowance can cover
the cost of a NASA telescope.
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Hang on.
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Interesting.
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I may be wrong,
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but it looks like the light
from that star is dipping a bit.
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Checking coordinates.
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Beep-bop, boop-boop-boop, beep-bop-boop.
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Outstanding.
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Charlie Brown,
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I think you may have just discovered
a brand-new exoplanet.
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Congratulations.
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My very own exoplanet?
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- Way to go, Charlie Brown!
- Nice work.
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Awesome! Yeah!
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It's about time.
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Charlie Brown does it again.
Charlie Brown does it again.
83
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It looks like it's almost
the same size as Earth
84
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and about the same distance from its star
as Earth's distance from the sun.
85
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That means it could be
a perfect planet for life to exist.
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A perfect planet?
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Are all those valentines for you,
big brother?
88
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There's even one
from The Little Red-Haired Girl.
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Before we start, I just want to say
how much I appreciate you, Charlie Brown.
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No charge today.
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Say what you will about Charlie Brown,
he knows how to fly a kite.
92
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Strike three! You're out!
93
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Wow, you pitched a perfect game,
Charlie Brown.
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We won!
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Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown.
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Charlie Brown!
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I mean, wow, an exoplanet.
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How soon can we get there?
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Get there?
It would take hundreds of years.
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Entire generations.
101
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It's a terrific discovery, Charlie Brown,
102
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but going there is pretty much impossible
with today's technology.
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Rats.
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Hey!
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Has anyone seen my map of the galaxy?
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How do you lose a whole galaxy?