For best results, calibrate your monitor.

At the turn of the last century, decades before the first robotic explorations of the planets, it was popular in astronomical and science fiction circles to speculate on the properties, surfaces, climates, and even inhabitants of the worlds of our solar system. Although most of these speculations turned out to be dead wrong, they fueled the imagination of readers and helped spark the true discovery of the planets. It is in part because of those early dreams that we know so much about our neighboring worlds and have the desire to learn even more.

We are now in the same position as those a century ago. There is a growing number of totally new planets about which we know tantalizingly little. So it is once again time to dream.

Extrasolar Visions is dedicated to providing information about newly discovered extrasolar planets. But beyond the hard data, it is also the intent of this site to speculate, through images and words, about what these new planets might be like.

It is important to remember that only the data, such as distances, masses, and orbital periods are accurate and known. All planetary images and scenes, as well as the descriptions of what the planets may be like, are purely speculative. These speculations are based on what little we do know of these planets.