Probes have shown us stunning images of the rings of Saturn and the outer planets of our solar system.

CNN: Bush: 'It is time for America to take the next steps' in space

The probes' initial goal was to survey the outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune - a task they completed in 1989.

BBC: Voyager Solar System 'exit' debated

Without it such a galaxy's outer parts would spin more slowly than the inner ones (just as the outer planets of the solar system move around the sun more slowly than the earth does).

ECONOMIST: The galactic gourmand

And the hole's outer edge is roughly where rocky planets, like the inner planets of this solar system (including the earth), are expected to be.

ECONOMIST: Dusty genesis

The decreased allocation of funds to NASA programs was reported in the press as early as Feb. 13, lowering available funds for planetary science programs that support Mars exploration and missions to outer planets in the Solar System.

FORBES: NASA, Got Space Exploration? Get Goals, Get Funding and Get Uhura.

It appears they are the roasted remains of planets that spent a period of time inside the outer layers of their star.

BBC: Newly found planets are 'roasted remains'

The light from such giants blows away the outer gas and dust of their neighbours, leaving nothing to form planets.

ECONOMIST: Planetary formation

SETI's search for intelligent life in outer space may be on ice for the time being, but the search for alien planets that may possibly support life of some sort is now being bolstered by a number of new efforts.

ENGADGET: ExoPlanetSat nanosatellite to begin search for alien worlds next year