scientists sayin planet has 100% chance for life?

[[SoW] Lucky_Saint-]

WASHINGTON – Astronomers say they have for the first time spotted a planet beyond our own in what is sometimes called the Goldilocks zone for life: Not too hot, not too cold. Juuuust right.

 

Not too far from its star, not too close. So it could contain liquid water. The planet itself is neither too big nor too small for the proper surface, gravity and atmosphere.

 

It's just right. Just like Earth.

 

"This really is the first Goldilocks planet," said co-discoverer R. Paul Butler of the Carnegie Institution of Washington.

 

The new planet sits smack in the middle of what astronomers refer to as the habitable zone, unlike any of the nearly 500 other planets astronomers have found outside our solar system. And it is in our galactic neighborhood, suggesting that plenty of Earth-like planets circle other stars.

 

Finding a planet that could potentially support life is a major step toward answering the timeless question: Are we alone?

 

Scientists have jumped the gun before on proclaiming that planets outside our solar system were habitable only to have them turn out to be not quite so conducive to life. But this one is so clearly in the right zone that five outside astronomers told The Associated Press it seems to be the real thing.

 

"This is the first one I'm truly excited about," said Penn State University's Jim Kasting. He said this planet is a "pretty prime candidate" for harboring life.

 

Life on other planets doesn't mean E.T. Even a simple single-cell bacteria or the equivalent of shower mold would shake perceptions about the uniqueness of life on Earth.

 

But there are still many unanswered questions about this strange planet. It is about three times the mass of Earth, slightly larger in width and much closer to its star — 14 million miles away versus 93 million. It's so close to its version of the sun that it orbits every 37 days. And it doesn't rotate much, so one side is almost always bright, the other dark.

 

Temperatures can be as hot as 160 degrees or as frigid as 25 degrees below zero, but in between — in the land of constant sunrise — it would be "shirt-sleeve weather," said co-discoverer Steven Vogt of the University of California at Santa Cruz.

 

It's unknown whether water actually exists on the planet, and what kind of atmosphere it has. But because conditions are ideal for liquid water, and because there always seems to be life on Earth where there is water, Vogt believes "that chances for life on this planet are 100 percent."

 

The astronomers' findings are being published in Astrophysical Journal and were announced by the National Science Foundation on Wednesday.

 

The planet circles a star called Gliese 581. It's about 120 trillion miles away, so it would take several generations for a spaceship to get there. It may seem like a long distance, but in the scheme of the vast universe, this planet is "like right in our face, right next door to us," Vogt said in an interview.

 

That close proximity and the way it was found so early in astronomers' search for habitable planets hints to scientists that planets like Earth are probably not that rare.

 

Vogt and Butler ran some calculations, with giant fudge factors built in, and figured that as much as one out of five to 10 stars in the universe have planets that are Earth-sized and in the habitable zone.

 

With an estimated 200 billion stars in the universe, that means maybe 40 billion planets that have the potential for life, Vogt said. However, Ohio State University's Scott Gaudi cautioned that is too speculative about how common these planets are.

 

Vogt and Butler used ground-based telescopes to track the star's precise movements over 11 years and watch for wobbles that indicate planets are circling it. The newly discovered planet is actually the sixth found circling Gliese 581. Two looked promising for habitability for a while, another turned out to be too hot and the fifth is likely too cold. This sixth one bracketed right in the sweet spot in between, Vogt said.

 

With the star designated "a," its sixth planet is called Gliese 581g.

 

"It's not a very interesting name and it's a beautiful planet," Vogt said. Unofficially, he's named it after his wife: "I call it Zarmina's World."

 

The star Gliese 581 is a dwarf, about one-third the strength of our sun. Because of that, it can't be seen without a telescope from Earth, although it is in the Libra constellation, Vogt said.

 

But if you were standing on this new planet, you could easily see our sun, Butler said.

 

The low-energy dwarf star will live on for billions of years, much longer than our sun, he said. And that just increases the likelihood of life developing on the planet, the discoverers said.

 

"It's pretty hard to stop life once you give it the right conditions," Vogt said.

 

 

whatcha think? i will def be keepin an eye on this. could you step back and imagine stepping on this planet then looking to see our sun? that seems so odd to think of others looking at our sun as just a star in the nights sky

Edited September 30, 2010 by [SoW] Lucky_Saint-

[Nikastylez]

Interesting stuff. Our universe is far too big to rule out any possibility of life elsewhere. Too bad we may not be able to discover life on another planet in our lifetime, but I'm sure that will be the most exciting thing ever. If this planet is so similar to ours and if it does have life, I wonder if the inhabitants of that planet will look like us =O

[Chili327]

I doubt they would look like us, but you never know..

It is about three times the mass of Earth, slightly larger in width and much closer to its star — 14 million miles away versus 93 million. It's so close to its version of the sun that it orbits every 37 days. And it doesn't rotate much, so one side is almost always bright, the other dark.

 

I'm thinking that if it takes 37 days for the sun to go up & down (equal to our 24hr's) they wouldn't sleep like we do & some would be super tan & other super pale. lol

 

It would almost be like seasons every month.!!

You know how in Alaska they have lots of sun for the summer, then lots of dark for the winter, well this would be every month. It would be a dark month, than a light month. lol

 

Actually re-reading it.. wtf does "doesn't rotate much" mean..!?

It still keeps spinning right.?

It doesn't spin 3/4 of the way then spin back. lol (that would throw off the gravity)

Does that mean it rotates slowly...? (that would mean that some parts aren't "almost always bright".)

I'm confused now.

 

 

There is too much crazyness to think about, it reminds me of the movie.. "Thirteenth Floor" anyone ever see it.? (great movie)

Edited September 30, 2010 by Chili327

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

I think the size of the planet = the rotation = gravitational pull....so we might all feel like were 30lbs on that planet. Hell, we might be super men on that planet!

 

 

All kidding aside, I LOVE this sort of article. I firmly believe that their will come a time when we need to vacate earth for one reason or another, and I hope they have plenty of alternatives for us to invade and conquer.

[willywonka159]

Put an American flag on it and call it a day.

[GeneralSarcasm]

lol nice willy

[Outlaw__Rebel]

There going to have Brazilian hotties! I love Brazilian chicks there extra nasty.

[CDBS14]

Chili327;817051']I doubt they would look like us' date=' but you never know..

 

 

I'm thinking that if it takes 37 days for the sun to go up & down (equal to our 24hr's) they wouldn't sleep like we do & some would be super tan & other super pale. lol

 

It would almost be like seasons every month.!!

You know how in Alaska they have lots of sun for the summer, then lots of dark for the winter, well this would be every month. It would be a dark month, than a light month. lol

 

Actually re-reading it.. wtf does "[i']doesn't rotate much[/i]" mean..!?

It still keeps spinning right.?

It doesn't spin 3/4 of the way then spin back. lol (that would throw off the gravity)

Does that mean it rotates slowly...? (that would mean that some parts aren't "almost always bright".)

I'm confused now.

 

 

There is too much crazyness to think about, it reminds me of the movie.. "Thirteenth Floor" anyone ever see it.? (great movie)

 

The 37 days talk about the ORBIT (one year) one year for that planet (a full rotation around its parent star is 37 days.)

 

The article is very poorly worded, by doesn't rotate much it means its such a massive (hopefully rocky planet) neat the sun, the gravity of the huge planet and its small sun creat a drag, thus the planet revolves much slower than earth. For example Jupiter spins faster than earth and different parts of jupiter spin faster or slower than others.

 

So answering your questions in that planet Days are longer and so are nights.

 

Personally i wouldn't be too surprised, also not to mention no scientist in their right mind will say 100% certainty........it is never 100%.

 

 

 

If anything i hope they get the Kepler telescope to aim at this planet and see whether or not it really could have life.

[[SoW] Lucky_Saint-]

The 37 days talk about the ORBIT (one year) one year for that planet (a full rotation around its parent star is 37 days.)

 

The article is very poorly worded, by doesn't rotate much it means its such a massive (hopefully rocky planet) neat the sun, the gravity of the huge planet and its small sun creat a drag, thus the planet revolves much slower than earth. For example Jupiter spins faster than earth and different parts of jupiter spin faster or slower than others.

 

So answering your questions in that planet Days are longer and so are nights.

 

Personally i wouldn't be too surprised, also not to mention no scientist in their right mind will say 100% certainty........it is never 100%.

 

 

 

If anything i hope they get the Kepler telescope to aim at this planet and see whether or not it really could have life.

 

Obviously articles like this from yahoo have no real authority. its more a matter of reading through the lines. even with the keplar telescope you never know if they'll even be able to see anything.

[X-Factor--]

so on December 20, 2012 (the day before the Mayan Calender ends), we can all move there? Im just sayin..

[GOAT]

ehh too short of a year on that one.. Who wants to pay taxes every 37 days?

 

 

You guys can have that one. I'll wait for the next one..

 

LOL

[[cKs]xOcelot-]

My brain hurts from thinking about all the crazy possibilities with this planet.

 

 

Where did you find this anyway? I'd like to keep track of this also. It's very interesting.

[o-BacklasH-o]

I find this stuff extremely interesting, but the sad fact is none of us will ever step foot on this planet or anything similar. Maybe our great, great grandchildren will. Also X if that is the case you better hope they have WiFi on the shuttle, this way you can throw me in the cell.

[Pathogen-]

X-Factor--;817100']so on December 20' date=' 2012 (the day before the Mayan Calender ends), we can all move there? Im just sayin..[/quote']

 

you can, feel free. but with the mayans also predicting events AFTER the supposed end of the world, i think we will be just fine here

[X-Factor--]

oh ok path, i didnt know that. No big rush then. im happy here on Earth...Will UF website be able to reach this new planet?

[[ U ] main35Tainer]

Pathogen-;817340']you can' date=' feel free. but with the mayans also predicting events AFTER the supposed end of the world, i think we will be just fine here[/quote']

 

true, that is just the day the aliens that created us make public contact again. LOL

[GOAT]

main35Tainer;817343']true' date=' that is just the day the aliens that created us make public contact again. LOL[/quote']

 

There goes the neighborhood...

[HippieChik]

main35Tainer;817343']true' date=' that is just the day the aliens that created us make public contact again. LOL[/quote']

 

One day, He will. ;-)

[Corruptor310]

I bet there are some chinese folks, who would like to confirm life from another planet is out there!

[o-BacklasH-o]

I don't buy into all the 2012 hooplah at all. And really if 2012 winter solstice is the end of the world, what the heck am I going to do? Worry about it for the next 2+ years lol? When my time is up, it's up. Until then I'm going to live life and enjoy it. Also I think you mean God, not aliens Main.

[X-Factor--]

oh Lash do forget what you said...I remember

[o-BacklasH-o]

X-Factor--;817375']oh Lash do forget what you said...I remember

 

I remember. If we're still alive, I'll follow through lol.

[[SoW] Lucky_Saint-]

xOcelot-;817226']My brain hurts from thinking about all the crazy possibilities with this planet.

 

 

Where did you find this anyway? I'd like to keep track of this also. It's very interesting.

 

i found it on a yahoo ill keep you posted mate everyone likes this kind of stuff so whenever i find stuff like this ill post it up maybe make like an ALIENS thread or something lol

[[ U ] main35Tainer]

I meant aliens or God. Maybe we will find out which is which in our time, but I doubt it.

[Corruptor310]

I am still willing to bet -- aliens way before God. I think we are being scouted already.