Most Important Astronomical Discoveries To Date

The most important astronomical discoveries to date are the existence of extrasolar planets and the cosmic microwave background radiation.

The nitrogen in the air, the calcium in our bones, the carbon in our flesh… everything we know as “matter” was born inside of a star. As romantics like to accurately comment, we are made of stardust! Understanding the universe has been the goal of man since the dawn of time, and more often than not, this search leads us to the realization that the universe is inconceivably bigger than we ever imagined it to be. The study of the heavens has increased in determination and energy following every great discovery, each one more revolutionary as the one before. Now, let’s see how some of those big discoveries brought us closer to understanding the cosmos over time.

Extrasolar Planets

An extrasolar planet, also known as an exoplanet, is a planet found outside our Solar System. The existence of exoplanets was not all that surprising, but the method by which they were discovered has changed the course of astronomy. Nearly 3000 exoplanets have been discovered since 1988. Roughly 1 in 5 Sun-like stars have an Earth-sized planet within the habitable distance from the star. Assuming there are 200 billion stars in the Milky Way, that would mean 11 billion habitable Earth like-planets in the Milky Way alone. Most scientists believe that it’s only a matter of time before we find a planet full of extra-terrestrial life just waiting to be contacted. Also, many of these habitable planets could harbor human life as well, after interstellar travel is perfected.

Astronomy might remain the most underdeveloped branch of science, even after so many breakthroughs over the centuries, but in order to better understand ourselves, we need to understand our place amongst the stars. A famous quote by Edwin Hubble goes: “Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure science”.

Don’t forget… somewhere, there is always something incredible waiting to be known!