Earth-Like Planet Found Outside Our Solar System
By Idlewild
@Idlewild (6090)
United States
April 24, 2007 8:48pm CST
0
points
Astronomers have found a planet they are calling a "super-Earth" outside our solar system, a planet that has a temperate climate and may support life.
The planet, which was discovered by a telescope in Chile, has a radius 1.5 times that of Earth. It completes a full orbit of its star in only 13 days, and is 14 times closer to its star than the Earth is to our Sun.
However, it's more than 20 light-years away, so it seems we won't be visiting it anytime soon...
Do you think there may be life on this distant planet? Is it intelligent life? Does it listen to Britney Spears?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6589157.stm
5 people like this
12 responses
@sappho99336 (354)
• United States
25 Apr 07
What an awesome discovery! Too bad it's not closer. At least we can learn more about it, though. I've always thought that there must be life somewhere besides earth, and this planet sounds like a good candidate.
@Idlewild (6090)
• United States
25 Apr 07
Maybe they'll figure out some kind of faster transportation, or teleporting, that will make that distance more manageable. In the meantime, I guess they can watch the planet through telescopes to look for signs of water, etc. Sounds pretty cool, I'm curious to see what they find out.
3 people like this
@sappho99336 (354)
• United States
25 Apr 07
Me too! I like the teleporting idea :-). Would also help us on earth--we wouldn't have to drive cars that emit greenhouse gases and we'd get to work on time.
2 people like this
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
25 Apr 07
I've heard about this, too. It's great news, but I have a strange inkling that humans may not be able to get there without God's help. I think things on Earth are going to draw our attention away from long distance space travel. Right now, if we want to travel through space, we need to focus on Mars or somewhere close. I mean, even regular trips to the moon seem generations off the way we're going.
2 people like this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
30 Apr 07
I was reading about few days ago....I think that sooner or later we will be able to travel over there....It might be occupied by so called UFO...and green people....lol
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
1 May 07
my lot is for humans for aliens is ufolot...frequent flyer miles converted into cash...lol
1 person likes this
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
25 Apr 07
I do believe there is life on that planet. But do you really think that they would want us to come to their planet. Look at what a great job we have done on this planet. Let's see we have pollution. Some of our animals are exticent and some of our animals are getting there. I think that if there is life on this other planet that they are looking at our planet in worry wondering if we are come there.
1 person likes this
@camar_lyn (1028)
• Singapore
28 Apr 07
I am excited that they've found such a similar planet! Doesn't matter if it is indeed 20 light years away. But 14 times closer to it's star?? How hot will that be?
About the life on that planet, i do have my doubts though i want very much to believe that there is life. How can they sustain life when there's nothing to survive on? Are we talking about micro-organisms here? Or single life cells?
1 person likes this
@Idlewild (6090)
• United States
28 Apr 07
That planet's star emits much less energy than our Sun (it's probably older; all stars eventually burn out),so that's why the planet can be so close to the star.
Scientists think there may be water on the planet, if that's true it could lead to all kinds of life.
@camar_lyn (1028)
• Singapore
29 Apr 07
You are right, every living organism needs only water! Hope the scientist can discover that there. Is it safer to live on a planet that is much older than ours? If it is that close to it's star, and all stars will eventually die out, would anyone want to live there?
I've read somewhere that the sun is dying as well. So where else can we move to? Super earth is only 20 light years away!
I'm not well informed about this subject matter and thus my seemingly ridiculous questions. I hope you don't mind.- Lyn
1 person likes this
@alchemistrx (2547)
• Philippines
25 Apr 07
This is an astounding discovery and if we can create something that we can be able to live there that would be great.
1 person likes this
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
20 May 08
I think they sent us Britney Spears! LOL
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
27 Mar 10
I'm sure if they can find a way to get to it they will. Maybe it will be the next Earth when this one finally falls apart. Who's to say if there's life there...more than likely...it's awfully arrogant to think that we are the only species in the universe. Whether it's intelligent or not is a different story...they may be asking themselves the same thing about us LOL
[b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
30 Dec 08
Brittany spears, now thats funny
but yes i do believe there is life out there elsewhere and that may very well be a place that has it.
but yes i do believe there is life out there elsewhere and that may very well be a place that has it.
@alokkumar803 (325)
• India
12 Aug 10
No i dun think they will like to listen spears..but i never rejected the possibility of life in this universe other than our earth..
