We've known for over 30 years that there are other stellar systems in our galaxy, but we don't have any idea how many there are.
The article from MSN discusses the ongoing challenge of determining the number of solar systems in the Milky Way galaxy. Despite advancements in astronomy, the exact count remains elusive due to several factors. Firstly, the sheer size of the Milky Way, which contains hundreds of billions of stars, makes a complete census impractical. Secondly, not all stars have planets, and detecting these exoplanets, especially those far from our solar system, is technically challenging. Techniques like the transit method, where a planet passes in front of its star, and the radial velocity method, which measures the star's wobble due to orbiting planets, have limitations in terms of distance and the types of planets they can detect. Additionally, the article mentions that while the Kepler Space Telescope has identified thousands of exoplanets, these represent only a tiny fraction of what might exist. The complexity is compounded by the fact that many stars might host multiple planets, and some planets might not be detectable with current technology. Thus, while estimates suggest there could be billions of solar systems, the precise number remains unknown, highlighting the vastness and mystery of our galaxy.
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