11.   Astronomers think they understand much about how the universe began, why stars shine and galaxies take majestic shape, and where planets orbit other stars.

12.   Astronomy has been awash in recent discoveries of planets orbiting other stars.

13.   At least nine probable planets have been discovered orbiting other stars.

14.   By the simplest definition, a planet is a large object that orbits a star.

15.   Despite decades of intensive searches for planets orbiting other stars, this is the first such clear-cut discovery, although some earlier finds came close.

16.   Dr. Alexander Wolszczan, a radio astronomer at Pennsylvania State University, reported detecting two and perhaps three planet-size objects orbiting a star in the Virgo constellation.

17.   Few scientific advances in recent years have created as much interest as the discovery of planets orbiting other stars.

18.   In the past year, astronomers, after decades of fruitless search, have begun discovering giant planets orbiting other stars.

19.   NASA released the rendering during while announcing that astronomers for the first time have detected and analyzed an atmosphere around a planet orbiting a star outside the solar system.

20.   Soon, astronomers might be studying systems of planets orbiting other stars.