Rocky Road: Planet hunting gets closer to Earth

Astronomers have discovered the three lightest planets known outside the solar system, moving researchers closer to the goal of finding extrasolar planets that resemble Earth. One of the new planets joins three others orbiting the same star, forming the first-known quadruple-planet system.

SMALL FRY. Artist’s depiction of a newly discovered Neptune-size planet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 436, which lies 30 light-years from Earth.