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The exact number is not known. But it does seem that most stars have at least one planet, and probably several planets, at least on average. Not even the number of stars in the immediate neighborhood can be known for sure, since red dwarves are quite hard to detect.

Here is an estimate. The Wikipedia article on "List of nearest stars" lists 56 hydrogen-fusing stars at a distance up to 5 parsec, or 16.3 light-years. Assuming the density of stars is more or less constant at distance up to 100 light-years, that would mean that for a volume 231 times larger (up to 100 light-years), there would be about 12,930 stars. Assuming that each of them has 1-10 planets on average, and doing some rounding, that would mean there are between 13,000 and 130,000 planets at that distance. Please note that despite the fairly large range, there is still a lot of guesswork involved.

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Q: How many planets are within 100 light years of earth?
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How many planets Earth signal reaches?

All of them in our solar system, plus all others within a distance of about 100 to 120 light years from us.


What is the difference between exoplanets and other planets?

Exoplanets are planets that orbit a star outside of our solar system, while other planets refer to those within our solar system, such as Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Exoplanets are located in other star systems, light-years away from Earth, and have different characteristics compared to the planets within our solar system.


What planet is 1000 light years away?

Because planets are rather small on astronomical scales - or at least, when compared to stars, and not luminous like stars, it is very hard to see them at great distances. NASA's Kepler spacecraft, which was launched to detect planets within habitable zones of stars, detected in 2011 a couple planets orbiting a star roughly 1000 light years distance. The planets, designated Kepler 20e and 20f, are part of an unusual solar system, and are roughly Earth-sized and 'rocky' but orbiting their host star within the distance of Mercury to our Sun, which would make them too hot for life.


Are all stars the same distance from the earth?

No two planets within our solar system have the same exact size. However, Earth and Venus are quite close - their diameters differ by only 652km.


How far is planet Kepler from planet earth?

The distance between Earth and Kepler-442b (an exoplanet in the Kepler-442 star system) is approximately 1,120 light-years. It is important to note that the distance can vary as planets orbit stars and stars move within the galaxy.

Related questions

When should you use light years?

Light years are used to measure distance from Earth to distant stars and planets.


4.2 light years is the distance to what planet?

4.2 light years is the distance to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri, not a planet. There are no known planets within this specific distance from Earth.


How many planets Earth signal reaches?

All of them in our solar system, plus all others within a distance of about 100 to 120 light years from us.


What is the difference between exoplanets and other planets?

Exoplanets are planets that orbit a star outside of our solar system, while other planets refer to those within our solar system, such as Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Exoplanets are located in other star systems, light-years away from Earth, and have different characteristics compared to the planets within our solar system.


What planet is 1000 light years away?

Because planets are rather small on astronomical scales - or at least, when compared to stars, and not luminous like stars, it is very hard to see them at great distances. NASA's Kepler spacecraft, which was launched to detect planets within habitable zones of stars, detected in 2011 a couple planets orbiting a star roughly 1000 light years distance. The planets, designated Kepler 20e and 20f, are part of an unusual solar system, and are roughly Earth-sized and 'rocky' but orbiting their host star within the distance of Mercury to our Sun, which would make them too hot for life.


Are Kepler and earth in the same galaxy?

Yes. Anything within 25,000 light years is within our Galaxy.


How many light years away is the closest planet to earth?

The closest planet to Earth is Venus, which can be between 38 million and 261 million kilometers away depending on where the planets are in their orbits. In light years, this distance is about 0.0000026 to 0.000018 light years.


Is there any planets just like earth?

that remains to be seen. although the chances are slim, there might be an earth-like planet millions of light-years away!


Are all stars the same distance from the earth?

No two planets within our solar system have the same exact size. However, Earth and Venus are quite close - their diameters differ by only 652km.


How many light years to the Saturn?

The distance from the Earth to Saturn varies - depending on whether both planets are on the same or opposite sides of the sun. At their nearest the distance is approx 0.000127 light years.


How far away from earth are nebulae?

Nebulae can vary in distance from Earth. Some are close, within a few hundred or thousand light-years, while others can be many thousands or even millions of light-years away. The closest known nebula to Earth is the Helix Nebula, which is about 700 light-years away.


How many light years away is Jupiter from Earth?

Jupiter is an average of about 483.8 million miles (778.5 million kilometers) away from Earth. This distance can change as both planets orbit the Sun at different speeds.