On 2006 February 12th, the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi erupted for the first time since 1985. It erupted in 1898, 1933, 1958, 1967, 1985, and 2006 and reached about magnitude 5 on average. The recurrent nova is produced by a red giant and white dwarf star closely orbiting each other, as in the 'Nova' image. (Digital, for PPARC. It was an APOD on 26 July 2006.)
Extrasolar planets, or exoplanets, are the non-luminous companions of other stars.
Most of those discovered so far have been gas giants, many even bigger than Jupiter (though some are closer to their star and hot), but the search is on for an Earthlike world. Several solid bodies have been found, but the conditions for life are very exacting.
