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PASADENA – The Spitzer Space Telescope has detected evidence of two mega solar systems – giant stars enveloped by what appear to be huge disks of planet-forming dust, scientists reported Wednesday. The appearance of cloudy disks around stars are believed to represent current or future planetary systems. Our sun is surrounded by the Kuiper Belt, a disk containing dust, comets and other bodies. Astronomers say the latest findings were surprising because such massive stars are thought to be inhospitable to the formation of planets. “Our data suggest that the planet-forming process may be hardier than previously believed, occurring around even...

BALTIMORE (Reuters) - Ten years after finding the first planet outside our solar system, scientists say they may be ready to move into a new phase of planetary exploration -- one that examines distant worlds for signs of Earth-like life. So far, astronomers have discovered some 145 so-called extrasolar planets orbiting stars besides our sun. All are gas giants like Jupiter, thought to be inhospitable to life as it is known on Earth. But some of the world's premier planet hunters indicated this could change in the next decade. "Within a few years, we may be able to detect things...