'Second Earth' found, 20 light years away

[jAZ]

This popped up on Digg today (strange how that system works sometimes). Too lazy search if it was discussed in April.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/apr/25/starsgalaxiesandplanets.spaceexploration/print

'Second Earth' found, 20 light years away

Ian Sample, science correspondent The Guardian Wednesday April 25 2007

The Earth-like Gliese 581C circles a star in the constellation of Libra that is cooler than our sun. Photograph: European Southern Observatory/AP

Scientists have discovered a warm and rocky "second Earth" circling a star, a find they believe dramatically boosts the prospects that we are not alone.

The planet is the most Earth-like ever spotted and is thought to have perfect conditions for water, an essential ingredient for life. Researchers detected the planet orbiting one of Earth's nearest stars, a cool red dwarf called Gliese 581, 20 light years away in the constellation of Libra.

Measurements of the planet's celestial path suggest it is 1½ times the size of our home planet, and orbits close to its sun, with a year of just 13 days. The planet's orbit brings it 14 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun. But Gliese 581 burns at only 3,000C, half the temperature of our own sun, making conditions on the planet comfortable for life, with average ground temperatures estimated at 0 to 40C. Researchers claim the planet is likely to have an atmosphere. The discovery follows a three-year search for habitable planets by the European Southern Observatory at La Silla in Chile.

"We wouldn't be surprised if there is life on this planet," said Stephane Udry, an astronomer on the project at the Geneva Observatory in Switzerland.

Two years ago, the same team discovered a giant Neptune-sized planet orbiting Gliese 581. A closer look revealed the latest planetary discovery, along with a third, larger planet that orbits the star every 84 days. The planets have been named after their star, with the most earthlike called Gliese 581c. The team spotted the planet by searching the "habitable zone".

[morphius]

That is pretty sweet. I'd guess anything that close to the star would most likely have an orbit where only one side faces the star, which could cause some issues. But cool nonetheless.

[Iowanian]

I thought Snopes revealed that it turned out that Rosie O'Donnell went on a twinkey binge.

[Baby Lee]

Maybe it popped up because of a recent article talking about improving technology in measuring distant environments making scientists more hopeful to find a planet of this type.
Seems like I saw an article like that in the past few days.

[FAX]

This is awesome news.

I don't like the name they've given second Earth, though. Those people aren't going to like being called, "Gliesers".

FAX

[Radar Chief]

Isn’t a “red dwarf” a contradiction in terms?
Its been forever since I read anything on this, but I thought a sun grew into a “red giant” as it cooled then contracted to a “white dwarf” before finally dying.

[Rausch]

Isn’t a “red dwarf” a contradiction in terms?


Nein!

http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/

[Mr. Laz]

i wonder if Gliese-ian chicks are hot?




http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9168/marasofficiallicensedpda9.jpg

[JimNasium]

James T. Kirk would hit it.

http://echosphere.net/star_trek_insp/insp_captkirk.png

[Dartgod]

This is awesome news.

I don't like the name they've given second Earth, though. Those people aren't going to like being called, "Gliesers".

FAX
Wouldn't they be called Glieselings? That's kind of cooler.

[JimNasium]

Wouldn't they be called Glieselings? That's kind of cooler.
What if they call their planet earth? We would have to come up with another name for our planet then. Since Neptune is already taken I think we should rename our planet "Planet Simplex".

[DMAC]

Isn’t a “red dwarf” a contradiction in terms?
Its been forever since I read anything on this, but I thought a sun grew into a “red giant” as it cooled then contracted to a “white dwarf” before finally dying.A red giant is the start of a dying star.

A red dwarf is just a small star. It is not dying... yet, anyway.

A red dwarf is a very common star.

[FAX]

What if they call their planet earth? We would have to come up with another name for our planet then. Since Neptune is already taken I think we should rename our planet "Planet Simplex".

Our sun is hotter so we should get to keep the Earth name, Mr. JimNasium. I say we call their people Simplexions and just ignore them.

FAX

[patteeu]

I guess a 13 day year would pretty much do away with any seasons.

[JimNasium]

Our sun is hotter so we should get to keep the Earth name, Mr. JimNasium. I say we call their people Simplexions and just ignore them.

FAX
If we are to ignore them then we should refer to them as either Hootiens or Goatcheesians.

[DMAC]

Well, I guess if we can send them transmissions in light speed, we can get a message to them in 20 years.

Then, assuming they get the message, and send one back at light speed, we should know in 40 years if there is intelligent life on this planet.

[Dartgod]

I guess a 13 day year would pretty much do away with any seasons.
Carl would be on year 533 of his 28 year plan.

DAMMIT, CARL!! :cuss:

[Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan]

I guess a 13 day year would pretty much do away with any seasons.

Be tough to finish a football season in one year there.

[HemiEd]

I guess a 13 day year would pretty much do away with any seasons.

I wonder how old Skiptowne would be in thirteen day years?

[chop]

It's only 120 trillion miles away. Anyone up for a road trip?

How can they actually see that far?

[Planetman]

By my calculations Gliese 581C is only 117,313,920,000,000 (One hundred seventeen trillion, three hundred thirteen billion, nine hundred and twenty million) miles away.

ROAD TRIP!

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

A year there only lasts thirteen days. That would suck having to file a tax return every two weeks.

[Planetman]

Carl would be on year 533 of his 28 year plan.

DAMMIT, CARL!! :cuss:
ROFL

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Well, I guess if we can send them transmissions in light speed, we can get a message to them in 20 years.

Then, assuming they get the message, and send one back at light speed, we should know in 40 years if there is intelligent life on this planet.
Unless its a planet full of chronic procrastinators!

[ct]

But think how fast the off-seasons would be! It'd be like football year round!!

Pretty cool stuff, thanks jaz!

[Bob Dole]

If scientists and engineers would perfect speed-of-light travel in the next few years, Bob Dole could actually arrive there just in time to enjoy a retirement free of dipshits.

[TrebMaxx]

Be tough to finish a football season in one year there.
There will be not be a football season there. But the commissioner said there could be plans for a Super bowl.

[Inspector]

Well, I guess if we can send them transmissions in light speed, we can get a message to them in 20 years.

Then, assuming they get the message, and send one back at light speed, we should know in 40 years if there is intelligent life on this planet.

If you drive your car there going at the speed of light and then turn on your headlights, does anything come out?

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

If you drive your car there going at the speed of light and then turn on your headlights, does anything come out?

Yes, I've done it twice.

[Lzen]

How can they actually see that far?

They don't. I believe they look at the wobble of the star. Anything with mass will be attracted to other things with mass. A planet's mass to a star will affect the star's wobble/rotation.





.....or something like that. ;)

[Bob Dole]

At least we know where Tony Romo came from now!

[CrazyPhuD]

:hmmm: isn't this the same planet where Xenu comes from???

[Zebedee DuBois]

If scientists and engineers would perfect speed-of-light travel in the next few years, Bob Dole could actually arrive there just in time to enjoy a retirement free of dipshits.

Ever the dreamer.

[Rain Man]

I bet that that planet has a continent in its northern hemisphere, and in the middle of that continent is a football team, and that football team wears red and white uniforms, and every time they make the playoffs they lose, but it's because their field goals go wide right instead of wide left.

[Hydrae]

I bet that that planet has a continent in its northern hemisphere, and in the middle of that continent is a football team, and that football team wears red and white uniforms, and every time they make the playoffs they lose, but it's because their field goals go wide right instead of wide left.


It's a cosmic curse! :cuss:

[Buck]

I wonder if Quatto is there...

I also wonder how many boobs their chicks have.

[beavis]

If scientists and engineers would perfect speed-of-light travel in the next few years, Bob Dole could actually arrive there just in time to enjoy a retirement free of dipshits.
I bet there are dipshits on other planets too. Though it'd be hard for them to top the 90% of the population they make up here.

[Rain Man]

I bet there are dipshits on other planets too. Though it'd be hard for them to top the 90% of the population they make up here.

I bet there's some percentage that's a universal constant, like Avogadro's number or the Big G. I'll bet that on a planet full of nothing but plankton, 90 percent of the plankton inadvertently block the light of the other 10 percent.

[Malcor]

If you drive your car there going at the speed of light and then turn on your headlights, does anything come out?
Assuming you and your car haven't turned into energy...yes. The speed of light is a constant in any inertial frame.

Or something like that.

[tiptap]

I bet there's some percentage that's a universal constant, like Avogadro's number or the Big G. I'll bet that on a planet full of nothing but plankton, 90 percent of the plankton inadvertently block the light of the other 10 percent.

Avogadro's number is arbitrary because the mass of a Kilogram is arbitrary. The need to relate the mass of an atom or molecule to some convenient mass of collection of such atoms or molecules that can be manipulated in everyday life, is universal, just not the number. Moles forever 6.0225 10 to the 23rd.

[stevieray]

I bet there's some percentage that's a universal constant, like Avogadro's number or the Big G. I'll bet that on a planet full of nothing but plankton, 90 percent of the plankton inadvertently block the light of the other 10 percent.

the maples scream oppression
but the oaks just shake their heads

[Rain Man]

Avogadro's number is arbitrary because the mass of a Kilogram is arbitrary. The need to relate the mass of an atom or molecule to some convenient mass of collection of such atoms or molecules that can be manipulated in everyday life, is universal, just not the number. Moles forever 6.0225 10 to the 23rd.

Do you e-mail Jerry Seinfeld and tell him why there are so many orange barrels on the highway?