People Are Sharing The “Facts” They Were Taught In School That Turned Out To Be Completely Wrong

“The funny thing is, we still can’t fully explain it. We just got much better at finding planets, so now we see them everywhere we look.”

—u/Andromeda321

TRUTH: Before 1995, astronomers had strong theories but no direct proof of exoplanets. That changed with the discovery of 51 Pegasi b, the first confirmed planet orbiting a sun-like star. As of February 2026, NASA has confirmed over 6,000 exoplanets, largely thanks to the Kepler mission, which alone identified 2,700-plus planets. Current estimates suggest planets may actually outnumber stars in the Milky Way.