first planet found in a habitable zone

[alidsl]

I wonder if it has internetz

 

[abel009]

I wonder if it has internetz

more like interwebz

 

[gamefreak94]

How far is it from Earth? Most of these planets that could support life are too far away for colonization. As for the possibility of extra-terrestrial life, I say probably, but not intelligence.
Life is inevitable under the right conditions, but intelligence (human or greater), is a crapshoot.

Why is it not possible? Don't forget just about 10000 years ago we were just like wolves. Traveled in groups and hunted. Considering the star is a red dwarf star now, I'm pretty sure this planet has been around longer than the earth(yet maybe even older than the sun) has and if they do have life forms on there, I think they would be "intelligent" by now.

 

[KuRensan]

Did they gave the planet a name already ??

 

[epicCreations.or]

It sure will take a long time to get there, huh... Hmm... That's disappointing. I was hoping to see what the aliens' 4chan looked like...

 

[Jamstruth]

With a scouting satellite we will not here from it for years and years. Many for it to actually reach the system and planet, many more for the signals to return (however many lightyears the planet is away+travelling time basically). Its nice that they've found it but we don't know what it looks like now, maybe that star has collapsed and we don't know? Time Dilation is a bugger when looking into space.

Update: Turns out its only 20 light years from Earth, go figure. Sending probes is a definite possibility even though it could still take it a long time to reach the Planet. Not sure how fast these things travel so can't say how long the travelling time is. In the meantime we could send a radio signal their way, wait 40 years and see if we get a reply.

 

[Veho]

that means no night and day cycle, just choose either (day side = probably too hot, night side = probably too cold, you'd have to live near the intersection)
interesting, but probably way too far to envision colonization?

Probably not too hot on the hot side, the average surface temperature is 10 degrees F. However, life exists in much harsher conditions on earth than this planet in general, both hot and cold.

Is that the total estimated average (including the hot and cold side), or just the average of the day side? Either way, that's just the average of two extremes, and you'd only get a few zones with favourable conditions. It could probably sustain forms of life in places, but you wouldn't necessarily want to live there

An Earth-like planet with running water. And so close to Earth. Amazing.

 

[heartgold]

Who the knows, their could be billion's of earth like planets in this universe, on a interesting note I wonder how advance this planet is, could they be more advanced than us?

I'm more interested in black holes, no ones figured out what is really does and what it is and where you you possibly go if you got sucked in, end up else where in the universe? lol that'd be cool

It just begs the question how the hack was the universe created, yeah I know it started with a big-bang but where the heck did these atoms, particles whatever other stuff there was needed to create this endless growing universe, yes the universe is expanding each second. But how the fuck was the stuff there, where did it come from? It can't just be made by itself.

lol I know nothing bout space so I'm stuck with saying 'stuff' xD

 

[Depravo]

Today's APOD is on the same subject -

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101001.html

 

[Talaria]

Unfortunately even if we could travel at the Speed of Light it would take about 20.3 years to reach it. So sending a satellite yet alone a Space Shuttle there is nigh impossible unless we wanted to wait several hundred years.

 

[Searinox]

Even if it's in the "habitable zone" its own chemistry could result in a greenhouse effect that is either too low or too high to make temperatures bearable. Just look at mars, it's in the habitable zone, yet its lack of greenhouse gases makes it a cold world.

"would place it just outside the orbit of Venus"

Venus is another great example of the exact opposite. It had too much water evaporate the atmosphere, trapping heat increasing its temperature. Its carbon dioxide was mostly embedded in the rocks but when the temperature rose enough a chemical process let that carbon dioxide loose into the atmosphere, further fueling the greenhouse effect. Today venus has temperatures of over 400 degrees celsius and a runaway greenhouse effect. It is a hell orbiting the "habitable zone".

Chemistry can change the temperature a lot. Not just proximity to the sun.

 

[CrimzonEyed]

They have already started preparations for colonization!

 

[gumgod]

Read an article on this yesterday. I believe they said it would take 200 some odd years to get there if they started on it now. I'm assuming this was calculated using current or upcoming propulsion methods. So even though it's interesting news, I don't think it's something that we will be seeing much more of any time soon.

 

[GeekyGuy]

"...where liquid water could be found....

So, basically, they're saying that distance alone is all the evidence they now have that this could potentially be a life-sustaining planet.

 

[Depravo]

"...where liquid water could be found....

So, basically, they're saying that distance alone is all the evidence they now have that this could potentially be a life-sustaining planet.

Hydrogen, helium and oxygen are the three most common elements in the universe. Helium is inert (doesn't bond), that leaves hydrogen and oxygen of which water is made from. It is the most common compound in the universe. If the temperature and mass of the planet are within certain proportions liquid water will almost certain be present to some degree.

 

[GeekyGuy]

Hydrogen, helium and oxygen are the three most common elements in the universe. Helium is inert (doesn't bond), that leaves hydrogen and oxygen of which water is made from. It is the most common compound in the universe. If the temperature and mass of the planet are within certain proportions liquid water will almost certain be present to some degree.

I haven't read the full article, so correct me if I'm wrong. But have they even determined whether or not it's Jovian or telluric? If that combination of elements were commonly found together in the way they are on Earth, we wouldn't be talking about this planet. We'd be discussing possibilities a lot closer to home.

 

[luke_c]

Lets try and get man on Mars first.

 

[SamAsh07]

Lets try and get man on Mars first.

This.

 

[MrCooper]

yay! more resources!

 

[0ddity]

There is nothing that says the planet is tidaly locked to its sun, which means as the planet revolves around its sun, different sides of the planet would be exposed to the sun. In this case, if the planet has zero axis rotation, a day (defining day as how long it takes for a full light/night cycle) would be the same amount of time as a year, in this case earth days.

The name of the planet is Gliese 561g, because the star is called Gliese 581, and this is the 7th planet found in this solar system.