2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE: Quarterly Challenges
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Q2 - Out of This World
Hello everyone!Get ready to journey OUT OF THIS WORLD as we learn about other planets in this wacky universe of ours!
The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.
-Eden Phillpotts, A Shadow Passes
🪐
To sign up for this challenge, please post a message that includes your reading goal for the challenge.
When posting your progress please include your original (sign-up) message number plus your current progress.
Example: Update to message #16: 3/5
If you decide to drop out of the challenge, please don't delete your original sign-up post. Just post a message to let me know. Thank you!
Updates will be made for this challenge on Sundays.
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🔭 Amateur Astronomers [6]
Brianna Raquel - Message 22 - 0/20
Caraina - Message 26 - 0/20
Lisa - Message 5 - 0/6
QueenEternity - Message 13 - 0/20
Sav - Message 135 - 0/5
Suzanne - Message 24 - 0/20
☄️ Intermediate Astronomers [7]
Cobwebby Eldritch Reading Reindeer - Message 33 - 5/25
Jenn - Message 27 - 5/20
Marissa - Message 29 - 6/20
Melissa - Message 88 - 19/20
Rachael - Message 72 - 7/20
River - Message 14 - 13/20
Sherri - Message 34 - 18/20
💫 Expert Astronomers [19]
Allie - Message 20 - 13/10
Amy - Message 21 - 11/6
Ariail - Message 12 - 20/20
Beth - Message 125 - 20/20
Carmen - Message 11 - 20/20
Chalmation - Message 7 - 11/11
Debra Diggs - Message 4 - 12/8
Emily - Message 9 - 13/13
Jodi - Message 8 - 7/6
Kristina - Message 3 - 20/20
Lilli Gilliam - Message 6 - 15/5
Lina - Message 25 - 18/10
Margie - Message 23 - 10/10
Robynne - Message 19 - 5/4
Roevardotter - Message 18 - 20/20
Sarah - Message 15 - 4/4
Shari - Message 43 - 16/15
Sheila - Message 17 - 20/20
TerryJane - Message 10 - 20/20
🪐
31 Signed Up
Books Read: 348/478 (73%)
Updated through message 154 on 07/01
OUT OF THIS WORLDApril 01 - June 30, 2023
Progress: 20/20
Signing up for 20!
KEPLER-16B
A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
✅ 1. Read a duology (1): Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
✅ 2. Read a duology (2): Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
KEPLER-452 B
One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
✅ 3. Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
55 CANCRI E
One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
✅ 4. Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot: Painted Devils by Margaret Owen
TRES-2 B
Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
✅ 5. Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author: Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
HR 5183 B
A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
✅ 6. Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel: I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
TOI-1452 B
A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
✅ 7. Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean: Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
TYC 8998-760-1 B
This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
✅ 8. Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023: Painted Devils by Margaret Owen
PSR B1620-26 B
The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
✅ 9. Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times: The Odyssey by Homer
WASP-76B
This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
✅ 10. Read a book set in the desert or a hot place: The Martian by Andy Weir
GLIESE 1132B
This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
✅ 11. Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again: Painted Devils by Margaret Owen
HD 189773B
This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
✅ 12. Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
TOI 849
This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
✅ 13. Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages: Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg
GJ-504B
A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
✅ 14. Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship: Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB
Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
✅ 15. Read a book set in a cold place or during winter: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
TRES-4B
Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
✅ 16. Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
HD 106906
Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
✅ 17. Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown: Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
PSR J1719-14 B
Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
✅ 18. Read a book you can finish in one sitting: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
WASP 12B
A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
✅ 19. Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
1SWASP J1407B
Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
✅ 20. Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Sign me up for 8, please. Completed
12/8
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
✔ 4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot. - The Last Flight by Julie Clark
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
✔ 6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel. - All That Is Mine I Carry with Me by William Landay
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
✔ 8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023. - The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
✔ 9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times. - Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger
✔ 10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place. - The Island by Adrian McKinty
✔ 11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again. - The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
✔ 12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover. - A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
✔ 13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages. - The Tiger Came to the Mountains by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
✔ 17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown. - The Cat Who Played Brahms by Lilian Jackson Braun
✔ 18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting. - The Father-Thing by Philip K. Dick
✔ 19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies. - Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
✔ 20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey. - The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
..
15/5 completed4. 55 CANCRI E One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
11. GLIESE 1132B This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
17. HD 106906 Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
I'm in for 11.11/11
Challenge Complete
4. 55 CANCRI E One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
The Return of the Ripper (Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery #6)
5. TRES-2 B Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
6. HR 5183 B A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
Zero Cool
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
Noble Revenge (Jack Noble #15)
√ 9. PSR B1620-26 B The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
H10N1 Since 2012
11. GLIESE 1132B This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
Die Again, Mr. Holmes (Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery #7)
12. HD 189773B This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. TOI 849 This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower #2)
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
Thaw Greenland
17. HD 106906 Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
Big Lake Drunk (Big Lake #22)
19. WASP 12B A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case (Hercule Poirot #39)
I would like to join. Please sign me up for 6.7/6
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
I'd like to sign up for 13!13/13 - Completed 6/20/2023
1. Read a duology - Desperation by Stephen King - completed 6/2/2023
2. Read a duology The Regulators by Richard Bachman - completed 6/7/2023
5. Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author - I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid - completed 4/7/2023
6. Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel - A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins - completed 5/26/2023
7. Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean - Life of Pi by Yann Martel - completed 5/11/2023
9. Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times - Wonder Valley by Ivy Pochoda - completed 6/13/2023
12. Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover - Fairy Tale by Stephen King - completed 4/15/2023
13. Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages - I Would Leave Me If I Could: A Collection of Poetry by Halsey - completed 4/8/2023
14. Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship - The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon - completed 6/9/2023
16. Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending - Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han - completed 6/17/2023
17. Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown - A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell - completed 6/20/2023
19. Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies - MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood - completed 4/4/2023
20. Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey - The Road by Cormac McCarthy - completed 4/25/2023
🪐 OUT OF THIS WORLD - Quarterly ChallengeDuration: April 1 - June 30, 2023
Progress: 20/20 -- COMPLETE
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
🪐 Parable of the Sower
🪐 Parable of the Talents
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
🪐 Underground Airlines
4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
🪐 The Attic on Queen Street
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
🪐 As Good As Dead
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
🪐 4th of July
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
🪐 The North Water
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
🪐 City Under One Roof
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
🪐 The Keeper of Lost Things
10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
🪐 They All Fall Down
11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
🪐 Lucky
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
🪐 Alive
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
🪐 Call for the Dead
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
🪐 All I Want
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
🪐 The Killing Lessons
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
🪐 The Princess Bride
17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
🪐 To Helvetica and Back
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
🪐 Artificial Condition
19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
🪐 Be Our Ghost
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
🪐 Watership Down
Hola!Count me in, please 😉
PROGRESS: 20/20
❎1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
❎3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
❎4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
❎5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
❎6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
❎7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
❎8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
❎9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
❎10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
❎11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
❎12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
❎13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
❎14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
❎15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
❎16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
❎17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
❎18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
❎19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
❎20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
I'm in for all 20!
0/20
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
0/20
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
Hey! I'd like to join this challenge with a goal of 20 books.13/20
☐ A duology (book one) -
☐ A duology (book two) -
☐ A science-fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or an alternate history book -
☑️ A book that features a wealthy character - Stars and Smoke
☑️ A book with a primarily black cover - Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person: & Other Essays
☑️ A book with a supposed-to-be-shocking plot twist - The Princess and the Pea
☐ A book that takes place underwater and on the ocean - Skin of the Sea
☑️ A book that will be published in 2023 - Vision: My Story of Strength
☐ A book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times -
☐ A book set in the desert or a hot place -
☑️ A book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again - All That’s Left in the World
☑️ A book with a blue cover - Why We Hate Cheap Things
☑️ A book less than 200 pages - The Audition
☑️ A book with a pink cover about a new relationship - 6 Times We Almost Kissed
☐ A book set in a cold place or during winter -
☑️ A lighthearted book with a happy ending - Cool for the Summer
☑️ A book where a character's motivations are unknown - The Empress of Salt and Fortune
☑️ A book you can finish in one sitting - How to Find Love
☑️ A book where a character dies - The New Town Librarian
☑️ A book with multiple POVs - Rebel Girls Animal Allies: 25 Tales of Women Working with Wildlife
Sign me up for 4 books4/4-COMPLETED
✅5. TRES-2B-Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author
(9/5/23)✅8. TYC 8998-760-1B-This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planet are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute (20/6/23)
✅13. TOI 849-This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages
The Railway Children (5/4/23)
✅18. PSR J1719-14B-Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting
Rose's Garden (11/5/23)
Welcome, everyone! You've all been added to the sign-up list. 🪐The universe’s imagination always remains wider than our human imaginations.
-Julie Morley, Future Sacred: The Connected Creativity of Nature
Sheila from eastern NC signing on. I’ll go for all 20 prompts.
I would like to join, you can put me down for 7 pleaseProgress 20/20 FINISHED
*updated to new goal of 15 books on 13th of April*
*updated to new goal of 20 books on 30th of April*
*challenge finished on 23rd of May*
1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky)
2.Elfie Season 1 (Gabrielle Dubois)
3.Bunny (Mona Awad)
4. Galatea (Madeline Miller)
5.Leave the Lights On (Liv Andersson)
6.The Terraformers (Annalee Newitz)
7. Crying in H Mart (Michelle Zauner)
8.Ingots of Gold: A Miss Marple Short Story (Agatha Christie)
9. Legends & Lattes (Travis Baldree)
10.The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 1 (Kore Yamazaki)
11. Hourglass (Kieran Goddard)
12. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Shannon Chakraborty)
13. The Last Wish (Andrzej Sapkowski)
14. The long way to a small and angry planet
15.Treasure Island
16. We Were Liars
17. The Song of Achilles
18. Ninth House
19. Dick Fight Island, Vol. 1
20.Hell Bent
I'll try the Quarterly Challenge again. Put me down for 4 books Please. Thanks.
Update - 5/4
Challenge is complete!!
Pink Cover - Confessions of a Prairie Bitch
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Blue Cover - One Italian Summer
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cold Place - Fast Ice
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
BIPOC author - Sign my Name to Freedom
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
One sitting - What Happens in France.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I will try for 10Progress 16/10
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
🌎3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
Farthing
🌎4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot. Hollywood Hills
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
🌎6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel. Red Queen
🌎7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean. Mystery Mile
🌎8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
So Shall You Reap
🌎9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
🌎10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place. The Dry
🌎11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again. The Devotion of Suspect X
🌎12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
Our Share of Night
🌎13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages
🌎14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship. Artists in Crime
🌎15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter. Zero Days
🌎16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
The Quiche of Death
🌎17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
God Rest Ye, Royal Gentlemen
🌎18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting. The A.B.C. Murders
🌎19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies. A Loyal Character Dancer
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
Please sign me up for 6!11/6-- Challenge Complete!
1. Read a duology.
2. Read a duology.
3. Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
7. Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
15. Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
19. Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
I'll do all 20.1 & 2. Read a duology.
3. Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
5. Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
6. Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
7. Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
9. Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
10. Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
11. Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
12. Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
14. Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
17. Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
18. Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
19. Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
20. Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
Fun challenge, Kristina. Please sign me up for 10 books.Progress: 10/10 - Challenge Complete!
1. Read a duology.
2. Read a duology.
3. Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
✔︎5. Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
Ohio
✔︎6. Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
The Nearest Exit (Milo Weaver #2) - Spy thriller
7. Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
✔︎8. Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
Old Man's War - debut
9. Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
✔︎10. Read a book set in the desert or a hot place. Mama Hissa's Mice Kuwait
✔︎11. Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
We Trade Our Night for Someone Else's Day
12. Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
14. Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
✔︎15. Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
The Sea Road Iceland, Greenland, Vinland
✔︎16. Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
Legends & Lattes cozy fantasy with happy ending
✔︎17. Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
Cover Her Face (Inspector Adam Dagliesh #1) - Mystery
18. Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
✔︎19. Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies. The Last Remains last book in Ruth Galloway mystery series
✔︎20. Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey. The Grapes of Wrath (long journey)
Top of Challenge
2023 Reading ChallengeQ2 - Out of This World
Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2023
Progress: 20 out of 20
In this quarterly challenge, we will strive To Explore Strange New Worlds by reading books based on some of the weird and wacky exoplanets beyond our solar system. Joining this galaxy quest is as simple as posting a comment below for the challenge leader. Sirius!
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology:
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez - ***** - 4/7/2024 - 400 Pages
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez - ***** - 4/14/2024 - 416 Pages
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - ***** - 6/2/2023 - 479 Pages
4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - ***** - 5/6/2023 - 368 Pages
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara - ***** - 4/15/2023 - 352 Pages
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult - ***** - 4/24/2023 - 464 Pages
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean:
Compass South by Hope Larson - ***** - 4/5/2024 - 224 Pages
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree - ***** - 5/4/2023 - 296 Pages - Debut Book
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
Under the Boardwalk by Carly Phillips - **** - 4/12/2023 - 271 Pages
10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce - ***** - 4/9/2023 - 352 Pages - Takes place in New Caldonia near Australia
11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
Bite the Bullet by L.A. Banks - **** - 4/12/2023 - 349 Pages
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
No Land's Man by Aasif Mandvi - **** - 4/13/2023 - 192 Pages
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells - ***** - 4/4/2023 - 158 Pages
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley - **** - 4/14/2023 - 336 Pages
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley - ***** - 6/17/2023 - 384 Pages - Set during Winter
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
Pale Blue Dot by Erin Mallon - *** - 4/16/2023 - 91 Pages
17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown:
Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn - **** - 5/18/2023 - 342 Pages - character's motivations are unknown
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin - *** - 5/7/2023 - 410 Pages
19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich - *** - 5/18/2023 - 320 Pages - a character disappears
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe by Thomas Cahill - ** - 4/3/2023 - 246 Pages
OUT OF THIS WORLDDuration: April 1 - June 30, 2023
In this quarterly challenge, we will strive To Explore Strange New Worlds by reading books based on some of the weird and wacky exoplanets beyond our solar system.
🛸Progress: 18/10🛸 - COMPLETED!
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
🛸3. KEPLER-452 B🛸 - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about
Recursion (finished Jun 18)
All Systems Red (finished Jun 15)
🛸 4. 55 CANCRI E 🛸 - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that
Daisy Jones & the Six (finished May 4)
🛸 5. TRES-2 B 🛸 - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book
Bunny (finished Apr 2)
🛸 6. HR 5183 B 🛸 - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book
Warbreaker (finished Apr 6)
🛸 7. TOI-1452 B 🛸 - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater
Treasure Island and The Ebb-Tide (finished Apr 18)
🛸8. TYC 8998-760-1 B🛸 - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a
Yellowface (finished Jun 9)
🛸 9. PSR B1620-26 B 🛸 - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (finished Apr 8)
🛸10. WASP-76B🛸 - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or
Half of a Yellow Sun (finished Jun 11; set in Nigeria)
🛸 11. GLIESE 1132B 🛸 - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪
A Kiss of Shadow (finished Apr 26)
🛸 12. HD 189773B 🛸 - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a
My Evil Mother (finished Apr 17)
🛸 13. TOI 849 🛸 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (finished Apr 6)
🛸 14. GJ-504B 🛸 - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a
Anne of Green Gables (finished Apr 1)
🛸15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB🛸 - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or
It Only Happens in the Movies (finished Jun 12, big parts of it are set in the Winter / cold months of the year)
🛸 16. TRES-4B 🛸 - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a
A Crown of Starlight (finished May 2)
🛸17. HD 106906🛸 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a
The Mystery of the Yellow Room (finished Jun 13)
🛸 18. PSR J1719-14 B 🛸 - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
The Hope of Elantris (finished May 9)
🛸 19. WASP 12B 🛸 - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (finished May 26)
🛸20. 1SWASP J1407B 🛸 - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book
Daughter of No Worlds (finished May 22)
🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸
I'm in for 202023 Reading Challenge
Q2 - Out of This World
Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2023
Completed: 0/20
In this quarterly challenge, we will strive To Explore Strange New Worlds by reading books based on some of the weird and wacky exoplanets beyond our solar system. Joining this galaxy quest is as simple as posting a comment below for the challenge leader. Sirius!
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
I have updated Message Number 8. I am 2/6
Q2: Out of This WorldDuration: April 1-June 30, 2023
Progress: 12/20
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
--- Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray (5/27)
4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
--- The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen (5/5)
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
--- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (4/23)
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
--- The Companion by Katie Alender (4/14)
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
--- Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch (4/9)
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
--- Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch (5/15)
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
--- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (5/5)
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
--- The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (4/22)
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
--- The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco (4/21)
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
--- Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (5/21)
19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
--- Into the Bright Unknown by Rae Carson (5/25)
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
--- Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of a Scythe by Neal Shusterman (4/4)
Update to message #11PROGRESS: 1/20
❎12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
Signing up: Goal 25 total.1. Kepler-452B:;Paradise-1. READ
2. 55 Cancri E: Missing Clarissa READ
3. HR5183 B: Tell Me What Really Happened READ
4. PSR B1620-26 B: Carmilla, Deluxe Edition: The cult classic that inspired Dracula READ
5. TRES-4B: Carmilla and Laura READ
Completed 19/20 1 and 2. ▪ Read a duology.
Strange the Dreamer, 5/4/23/, 4/5*
Muse of Nightmares, 4/5*, 6/28/23
both by Laini Taylor
3. ▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. ▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
Blood Diamonds: Tracing the Deadly Path of the World's Most Precious Stones by Greg Campbell, 5/5/23, 3/5*
5. ▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist: A True Story of Injustice in the American South by Radley Balko, 4/11/23, 4/5*
6. ▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
Devil Red by Joe R. Lansdale, 4/5*, 4/4/23
7. ▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World by Jay Bahadur, 3/5*, 4/20/23
8. ▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton, 3/5*, 4/14/23
9. ▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, 5/5*, 4/9/23
10. ▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
Where Soldiers Fear to Tread: A Relief Worker's Tale of Survival by John S. Burnett, 3/5*, 4/16/23
11. ▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz, 3/5*, 5/9/23
12. ▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
Watership Down by Richard Adams, 4/5*, 4/6/23
13. ▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
Slave Narratives by William L. Andrews, 5/5*, 5/15/23
14. ▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
Bangkok 8 by John Burdett, 2/5*, 5/17/23
15. ▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips, 3/5*, 4/12/23
16. ▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
The House on Tradd Street by Karen White, 3/5*, 5/20/23
17. ▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
Whisper to the Blood by Dana Stabenow, 5/5*, 5/26/23
18. ▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler, 4/5*, 5/18/23
19. ▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
In the Company of Heroes: The Personal Story Behind Black Hawk Down by Michael J. Durant, 4/5*, 4/2/23
20. ▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday, 4/5*, 4/27/23
Welcome, everyone! I've updated through message 34 for new additions and goal updates. 🪐Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another.
- Plato, The Republic
Update to comment #18: 2/7 books read
Update to comment #18: 3/7 books read
Updated message 21-- 3/6
msg 6update 2/5
Update to message #91/13
I read MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood for prompt #19, the final book in a series (also a book where a character dies)
update to message 14 (prompts 13, 14, & 18):3/20
Going to try for 15.OUT OF THIS WORLD
Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2023
Progress: 16 / 15 - COMPLETED 6-25-23
In this quarterly challenge, we will strive To Explore Strange New Worlds by reading books based on some of the weird and wacky exoplanets beyond our solar system. Joining this galaxy quest is as simple as posting a comment below for the challenge leader. Sirius!
🌌🌌1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology. The Rosie Project The Rosie Effect
🌌 3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
🌌 4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot. The Fortune Hunter
🌌 5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
🌌 6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel. The It Girl
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
🌌 8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023. The Engineer's Wife
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
🌌 10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place. Red Birds
🌌 11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again. The Last Tiara
🌌 12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover. The Secret Between Us
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
🌌 14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship. Dreamland
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
🌌 16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending. From This Day Forward
🌌 17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown. On the Run
🌌 18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting. The Whittiers
🌌 19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies. Blue Lake Christmas Mystery
🌌 20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey. Honeysuckle Season
Update to message #11PROGRESS: 2/20
❎4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
Update to message #11PROGRESS: 3/20
❎19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
Update for message #25: Progress: 4/10.
Thanks!
2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Compass South (other topics)Part of Your World (other topics)
Yours Truly (other topics)
The A.B.C. Murders (other topics)
Zero Days (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Hope Larson (other topics)Abby Jimenez (other topics)
Jennifer Ashley (other topics)
Paul Torday (other topics)
Michael J. Durant (other topics)
More...
Duration: April 1 - June 30, 2023
In this quarterly challenge, we will strive To Explore Strange New Worlds by reading books based on some of the weird and wacky exoplanets beyond our solar system. Joining this galaxy quest is as simple as posting a comment below for the challenge leader. Sirius!
1 and 2. KEPLER-16B - A real life Tatooine, this planet was Kepler's first discovery of a planet that orbits two stars, what is known as a circumbinary planet.
▪ Read a duology.
3. KEPLER-452 B - One of the most Earth-like planets yet discovered, with almost the same exact size, placement, and habitable zone as Earth. Unfortunately, it's more than 1,000 light years away.
▪ Read a Science Fiction book about humans traveling to live on other planets or read an alternate history book.
4. 55 CANCRI E - One of the first super-Earth planets to be discovered, it was originally thought that to be so abundant in carbon that, due to the immense pressure and 2,700 degree temperatures, its interior was made of diamond. More recent research has contested this assertion, but the nature of the planet's interior remains enigmatic.
▪ Read a book that features a wealthy character or where diamonds play a key role in the plot.
5. TRES-2 B - Identified by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, it is the darkest known exoplanet, reflecting less than 1% of any light that hits it.
▪ Read a book with a primarily black cover or a book by a BIPOC author.
6. HR 5183 B - A slow-moving exoplanet three times larger than Jupiter, this planet has a bizarre orbit where it loiters on the outer reaches of its system before slingshotting into the center, passing close to its host star before peeling away again. This strange orbit has earned it the nickname of the "whiplash planet."
▪ Read a book with a shocking plot twist or a thriller novel.
7. TOI-1452 B - A large exoplanet thought to be 70% bigger than Earth, astronomers believe water could make up as much as 30% of its mass (compared to Earth, where water is 1% of our mass).
▪ Read a book that takes place underwater or on the ocean.
8. TYC 8998-760-1 B - This gas giant and its companion orbit an extremely young Sun-like star presumed to be only about 17 million years old. Its planets are likely also brand new and radiate a glow that can be seen by telescopes.
▪ Read an author's debut book or a book published in 2023.
9. PSR B1620-26 B - The oldest known planet, at somewhere around 12.7 billion years old. That's only a little younger than the universe itself!
▪ Read a book you've owned for a long time or a book set in ancient times.
10. WASP-76B - This planet is tidal locked to its parent star: one side permanently faces its star, causing scorching hot temperatures around 4,532°F - hot enough to vaporize iron.
▪ Read a book set in the desert or a hot place.
11. GLIESE 1132B - This Earth-like planet is much closer to its parent star, creating higher surface temperatures. Astronomers have recently discovered that the gravitational influence of the star creates intense tidal forces that "flex" the planet. The flexing creates intense volcanic activity which causes gases to rise to the surface - and those gases are creating a unique second atmosphere.
▪ Read a sequel or a book where a character who is thought to be gone comes back again.
12. HD 189773B - This world is only 64 light years away and looks like a deep blue marble. But its pleasant exterior is deceiving, as winds on this planet blow at 8,700 km/h. Not only that, but the deep blue color is a reflection of the silicate in its atmosphere which, when heated by the planet's deadly 1300°C, forms grains of glass.
▪ Read a book with unexpected danger or a book with a blue cover.
13. TOI 849 - This exoplanet orbits so tightly to its star that a year passes in 18 hours. It is dense and rocky, not gaseous, despite being 40 times as massive as Earth. It may even be the first Chthonian planet to be detected: the exposed remnant core of a gas giant that has had its atmosphere blasted away.
▪ Read a book less than 200 pages or more than 500 pages.
14. GJ-504B - A newly formed exoplanet in the Virgo constellation, this planet orbits its star at nearly nine times the distance Jupiter orbits the sun. Due to its newness, it glows a deep magenta.
▪ Read a book with a pink cover or a book about a new relationship.
15. OGLE-2005-BLG-390LB - Orbiting a red dwarf, this planet is too far away to receive much warmth from its star. It is one of the coldest known planets in the universe with a freezing surface temperature of -220°C (-364°F). The entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice and it is unlikely any life could survive on the surface, though astronomers believe it is possible life survives underneath the ice.
▪ Read a book set in a cold place or during winter.
16. TRES-4B - Despite being one of the largest exoplanets discovered, this planet has an extremely low density - about the same as a cork. Astronomers attribute this to the extreme heat of 2300 °F (1260 °C) due to its proximity to the star. At only 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) away from its sun, TrES-4b is able to complete an orbit in three Earth days.
▪ Read a lighthearted book or a book with a happy ending.
17. HD 106906 - Located 300 light years from Earth in the constellation of Crux, it orbits its star at a distance of 60 billion miles - 20 times the distance between the Sun and Neptune. Estimated to be about eleven times the mass of Jupiter, it is unknown how this planet formed or how it came to have such a distant orbit from its star. Despite being so far from the warmth of its star, it still has a scorching surface temperature of 1500 °C (2732 °F) and still glows from the residual heat left over from its formation.
▪ Read a mystery novel or a book where a character's motivations are unknown.
18. PSR J1719-14 B - Orbiting a pulsar star, this planet completes its orbital rotation extremely quickly - in only 2.2 hours.
▪ Read a book you can finish in one sitting.
19. WASP 12B - A doomed planet being torn apart by its star's scorching heat. In 10 million years, this world could be completely consumed.
▪ Read the final book in a series or a book where a character disappears or dies.
20. 1SWASP J1407B - Located around 420 light-years in the constellation of Centaurus, the planet has the most exotic ring system ever discovered, around 200 times bigger than Saturn’s rings. Unfortunately, travelling to see it would take over seven million years.
▪ Read a book with multiple POVs or a book where the characters travel a long journey.
This otherworldly challenge was created by Kristina, who will also be leading it. Thanks so much!