Wednesday, April 25, 2007

In Case You Haven't Heard Yet

A planet of about five times Earth mass, one whose radius is only 1.5 times that of our own world. Moreover, a planet that’s smack in the middle of its star’s habitable zone, with a mean temperature estimated at between 0 and 40 degrees Celsius. The models in question say that this is a rocky world, and its temperatures tell us that oceans could exist there. The first detection of a planet where carbon-based life could conceivably exist makes this one a find for the history books.
Rest of the story here. If confirmed, this will be one of the greatest discoveries in the history of astronomy, right up there with Galileo first spotting moons around Jupiter.

5 comments:

  1. This news rocks so hard, it kicked me in the face with my own Mom.

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  2. It looks like I'll finally get to use that high passage I got when I mustered out of the Fleet Marines.

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  3. You didn't sell it to buy weapons? Weirdo.

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  4. My dreams of being the first human alien is one step closer.

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  5. If the density of Gliese 851 c is anything like Earth's, you're talking something like 1.45 G.

    Hope you're up for some exercise!

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