Astronomers discover super-Earths common across universe

Recent astronomical research highlights two major advancements in the search for distant planets. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile is preparing for a 10-year mission to image nearly the entire southern sky, which could aid in the search for the elusive 'Planet 9' beyond Neptune. Meanwhile, an international study using the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network has found that super-Earth exoplanets are far more common across the universe than previously believed, with at least one super-Earth for every three stars, sometimes in orbits as distant as our solar system's gas giants. These discoveries, made possible through advanced telescopes and microlensing techniques, are expanding our understanding of planet formation and the abundance of Earth-like worlds beyond our solar system.