What are the beliefs and teachings of the LDS (Mormon) Church regarding planets?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), commonly referred to as the Mormon Church, espouses a cosmology that includes the belief in the existence of multiple inhabited planets throughout the cosmos, created by God for the purpose of bringing about His divine plan. Central to LDS theology is the teaching that individuals can become exalted and live eternally in the presence of God, achieving a state known as celestial glory. In this elevated condition, those who are exalted may create worlds and populate them with their spirit children, much as God has done with Earth. This belief reflects the church's broader teaching on eternal progression, implying that worlds without number have been created by God and potentially by other exalted beings. Thus, planets hold a prominent place in LDS teachings as spheres where God's children have the opportunity for mortal experiences leading toward eternal progression.