Page last updated at 10:28 GMT, Friday, 14 November 2008

First pictures of distant planets

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Astronomers have taken the first direct pictures of planets outside our Solar System.

One planet is seen orbiting a star 25 light-years away; a further three planets, appearing as white specks, can be seen circling a star in the constellation Pegasus.

Nasa's chief scientist Dr Ed Weiler said even though researchers had detected planets outside our Solar System in the past, they had used indirect methods.

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