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#1
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03-29-2012, 01:49 AM
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 To infinity and beyond! Poster Rank:725 Weener Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,132 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Quoted: 18 Post(s)
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"Billions of Habitable Planets Found in Milkey Way Galaxy"
Researchers discovered that at least 100 of the ''super-Earths'' may be on our galactic doorstep, at distances of less than 30 light years, or about 180 trillion miles, from the sun. Astronomers say the findings were made after conducting a survey of red dwarf stars, which account for about four in five stars in the Milky Way. They calculate that around 40 per cent of red dwarfs have a rocky planet not much bigger than Earth orbiting the ''habitable zone'', in which liquid surface water can exist. Scientists say that where there is water, there also could be life although they add that being in the habitable zone is no guarantee that life has evolved on a planet. Dr Xavier Bonfils, from Grenoble University in France, who led the international team, said: ''Because red dwarfs are so common - there are about 160 billion of them in the Milky Way - this leads us to the astonishing result that there are tens of billions of these planets in our galaxy alone.'' In their study, the team of astronomers surveyed a carefully chosen sample of 102 red dwarfs using the European Southern Observatory's 3.6-metre telescope at La Silla, Chile. A total of nine super-Earths - planets with masses between one and 10 times that of Earth - were found. Two were located within the habitable zones of the stars Gliese 581 and Gliese 667 C. These data were combined with other observations, including those of stars which did not have planets. The astronomers, whose research was reported in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, worked out that habitable zone super-Earths orbiting red dwarfs occurred with a frequency of around 41 per cent. Meanwhile massive planets similar to Jupiter and Saturn were rare around red dwarfs. Less than 12 per cent of the stars were expected to have such ''gas giants''. Because red dwarfs are common near the sun, many ''super-Earths'' may not be far away in astronomical terms. The scientists estimate there could be around 100 habitable zone planets within 30 light years. Red dwarfs are cooler than the sun, which means planets must orbit close to their parent stars to be warm enough to be habitable. Scientists said this might not be good news for life. Dr Stephane Udry, from Geneva Observatory, who is also a member of the international team, added: "The habitable zone around a red dwarf, where the temperature is suitable for liquid water to exist on the surface, is much closer to the star than the Earth is to the sun. ''But red dwarfs are known to be subject to stellar eruptions or flares, which may bathe the planet in X-rays or ultraviolet radiation, and which may make life there less likely.'' One light year is nearly six trillion miles. |
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#3
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03-29-2012, 07:10 AM
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| So Fucking Banned Poster Rank:333 Male Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 3,852 Mentioned: 13 Post(s) Quoted: 750 Post(s)
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Re: "Billions of Habitable Planets Found in Milkey Way Galaxy"
Habitable? Try stepping onto one and you'll find its a very different issue regarding gravity. The bigger/denser the planet/astral body, the bigger the pull. You wouldn't be able to just walk onto them. |
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#4
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03-29-2012, 07:15 AM
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 My Rank: MASTER SERGEANT Poster Rank:535 Male Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,886 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Quoted: 22 Post(s)
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Re: "Billions of Habitable Planets Found in Milkey Way Galaxy"
Thanks for posting. It was an interesting read. I hope that we develop the technology to travel those great distances because eventually the sun will burn out and all life on Earth will cease to exist. We are talking ages away but it will happen eventually. |
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#6
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03-29-2012, 10:43 AM
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| To infinity and beyond! Poster Rank:725 Weener Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,132 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Quoted: 18 Post(s)
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Re: "Billions of Habitable Planets Found in Milkey Way Galaxy"
Ices, everybody knows gravity isn't real If it is how come people can walk in space stations in movies?  |
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#7
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03-30-2012, 09:52 PM
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 ★ Legacy Member ★ Poster Rank:410 Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,873
Contributions: 18
Mentioned: 11 Post(s) Quoted: 140 Post(s)
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Re: "Billions of Habitable Planets Found in Milkey Way Galaxy"
i know thats a joke, but dont they just say they have some kinda artificial gravity to cover those arguments?
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#8
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03-30-2012, 10:58 PM
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 My Rank: LANCE CORPORAL Poster Rank:3261 Male Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 113 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Quoted: 1 Post(s)
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Re: "Billions of Habitable Planets Found in Milkey Way Galaxy"
Yeah, that's the cop out way of explaining gravity in a space vehicle or station. Now 2001: a Space Odyssey on the other hand featured a donut looking space station that rotated which simulated gravity for its occupants. That's doing it the right way!  |
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#9
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03-30-2012, 11:37 PM
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 My Rank: STAFF SERGEANT Poster Rank:859 Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 879 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Quoted: 27 Post(s)
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Re: "Billions of Habitable Planets Found in Milkey Way Galaxy"
By the time the sun burns out, humans are going to be extinct, believe that.
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