swestrup: (Default)
swestrup ([personal profile] swestrup) wrote2007-04-26 09:29 am

Potentially habitable planet found

Roughly a decade earlier than I expected, astronomers have announced the discovery of a potentially habitable planet in another solar system. Of course, using the same set of criteria (size, temperature zone), Mars counts as 'potentially habitable', so its a bit early to send colony ships. Still, its just over 20 light years away, so it will be one of the first places we visit, if we ever get out of this Solar system.

Then again 'Habitable' might still be generous. It probably has a 5g surface gravity, and its year is only 13 (Earth) days long.

[identity profile] sps.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 01:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, you'll get lots of presents. And I think the surface gravity will only be 3.something, because of the slightly larger radius (or does nearfield behave differently than I think?).

[identity profile] grimmwire.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
The AP article says 1.6 G on the surface.

This exoplanet is an interesting find. I note that Gliese 581 also has a Jovian that orbits even closer to the star than 581c's 0.071 AU. Which is interesting because such close Jovians are supposed to form further out and spiral in towards the star -- which is supposed to "clear out" any terrestrial worlds on the way, destabilizing their orbits. And yet here's 581c....

I suppose it's possible 581c also formed in the outer system and spiralled inward -- which would suggest it's an icy world.

[identity profile] miseri.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, Spring ... I missed it last year; I was in the bathroom....