Scientists found most earth like planet yet!

zhan

Banned
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/04/25/habitable.planet.ap/index.html

WASHINGTON (AP) -- European astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our solar system, and here's what it might be like to live there:

The "sun" wouldn't burn brightly. It would hang close, large and red in the sky, glowing faintly like a charcoal ember. And it probably would never set if you lived on the sunny side of the planet.

You could have a birthday party every 13 days because that's how fast this new planet circles its sun-like star. But watch the cake -- you'd weigh a whole lot more than you do on Earth.

You might be able to keep your current wardrobe. The temperature in this alien setting will likely be a lot like Earth's -- not too hot, not too cold.

And that "just right" temperature is one key reason astronomers think this planet could conceivably house life outside our solar system. It's also as close to Earth-sized as telescopes have ever spotted. Both elements make it the first potentially habitable planet besides Earth or Mars.
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Venetian

Professional
I read this today too. It was really interesting. I had to laugh when they mentioned that in the future, we may want to colonize it. It's 20.5 LIGHT YEARS away!
 

Audiodude

Rookie
About 186,000 miles per second, for a little over 20 years, and that's considered close, when you take the entire universe into consideration. Good thing there's a supreme being micro-managing the goings on here, eh? Takes a load of my mind.
 

Andres

G.O.A.T.
Yut: 20.5 light years = 300.000 km/s (speed of light) x 20.5 years:

300.000 km in one second
18,000,000 km in one minute
1,080,000,000 km in one hour
25,920,000,000 km in one day
9,460,800,000,000 km in one year

193,946,400,000,000 km in 20,5 years :)

OR

121,216,500,000,000 miles :D

That's how distant it is.

If we travel there at Roddick fastest speed (155 mph), it's going to take...
782,041,935,483 hours ...
or 32,585,080,645 days ...
or 89,274,193 years...

and I don't plan to live that long :)
 

Craig Sheppard

Hall of Fame
Does anyone NOT believe that life exists beyond Earth these days? It would be a landmark day in history when it is actually discovered, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least. More like a "whew they finally proved it" feeling.
 

snapple

Rookie
Does anyone NOT believe that life exists beyond Earth these days? It would be a landmark day in history when it is actually discovered, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least. More like a "whew they finally proved it" feeling.

Think the more compelling question is whether INTELLIGENT life exists?
To me this means a life form that is self aware, and has the ability to reason and communicate.
 

Venetian

Professional
Does anyone NOT believe that life exists beyond Earth these days? It would be a landmark day in history when it is actually discovered, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least. More like a "whew they finally proved it" feeling.

Since you asked, I do not believe it does.
 

Craig Sheppard

Hall of Fame
Since you asked, I do not believe it does.

So... since you volunteered... ;-) Do you think that from a probability standpoint? Religious reasons? Or simply b/c it hasn't been found and you'll need it to be proven. I should say of course I don't know it as fact that there is extraterrestrial life, but I believe there is.
 

Kaptain Karl

Hall Of Fame
As much as I enjoy Science Fiction books, movies and shows my worldview -- er, my "universe view" -- is that we are on the only planet on which God created intelligent life.

(Even though some TT-ers seem to be likely candidates for being abducted from their trailers....)

- KK
 

Feña14

G.O.A.T.
Me. I called, and asked for it first :D

You can start challenging me whenever you want :D

Didn't they say that things are 5 times heavier on that planet than they are on Earth?

I'm guessing a Nadal clone would be doing pretty well if that's the case!

Another point is with them being 20 light years away, they would be picking up the radio and television from 20 years ago so someone like Wilander or Lendl might be causing some damage.
 
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