Earth-Like Planet Around Proxima Centauri Discovered
Discussion
Universe Today said:
The hunt for exoplanets has been heating up in recent years. Since it began its mission in 2009, over four thousand exoplanet candidates have been discovered by the Kepler mission, several hundred of which have been confirmed to be “Earth-like” (i.e. terrestrial). And of these, some 216 planets have been shown to be both terrestrial and located within their parent star’s habitable zone (aka. “Goldilocks zone”).
But in what may prove to be the most exciting find to date, the German weekly Der Spiegel announced recently that astronomers have discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, just 4.25 light-years away.
http://www.universetoday.com/130276/earth-like-pla...But in what may prove to be the most exciting find to date, the German weekly Der Spiegel announced recently that astronomers have discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, just 4.25 light-years away.
Very interesting if all proven correct.
FourWheelDrift said:
Thanks for the link. So we've got our ninth planet back.
I like the way they suggest that it is 'within reach'.
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf and most are not totally stable and any planet in the Goldilocks zone, which will be close of necessity, with be bathed in all sorts of nasty stuff every now an again as flares are far from uncommon.
Mind you, it will be tidally locked so you could always go around the dark side when things get lively.
Derek Smith said:
Thanks for the link.
So we've got our ninth planet back.
I like the way they suggest that it is 'within reach'.
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf and most are not totally stable and any planet in the Goldilocks zone, which will be close of necessity, with be bathed in all sorts of nasty stuff every now an again as flares are far from uncommon.
Mind you, it will be tidally locked so you could always go around the dark side when things get lively.
Quite right.So we've got our ninth planet back.
I like the way they suggest that it is 'within reach'.
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf and most are not totally stable and any planet in the Goldilocks zone, which will be close of necessity, with be bathed in all sorts of nasty stuff every now an again as flares are far from uncommon.
Mind you, it will be tidally locked so you could always go around the dark side when things get lively.
As pointed out by Baxter in his story. It leads to very, very strange weather on the planet as well - effectively a permanent circulating weather system directly under the sub solar point on the planet.
More information today and named (temporarily) Proxima B
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v536/n7617/fu...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/n...
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v536/n7617/fu...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/n...
My definition of "earth like" would be that the planet was sufficiently like the earth so that, if humans went there, they could walk around on its surface able to breath its atmosphere without any need for special protection or breathing apparatus and with no ill effects and having a gravity on the surface close to that of earth.
Length of day or year would also be a factor but they are something we would learn to cope with.
Mad and dangerous weather would also be a factor but that too could be dealt with.
Length of day or year would also be a factor but they are something we would learn to cope with.
Mad and dangerous weather would also be a factor but that too could be dealt with.
Vanguard21 said:
And just 4.2 LY away? That's only equivalent to 133,000 return trips to the Sun then.
Using something like Alcubierre Warp Drive technology?http://sputniknews.com/us/20150425/1021360503.html...
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2015/04/nasa-...
It's only a then a short step between testing a warp drive and a Vulcan ship passing at the same time... oh no wait that was a film.
K12beano said:
Beati Dogu said:
A so called Goldilocks planet. Not too cold, not too hot, but just right.
That's a description which rather worries me.......what happens when the Space-Bears pop up, eh???
Interestingly both Mars and Venus are within our sun's Goldilocks zone, but neither are particularly inviting.
Venus is just outside the inner edge of the habitable zone and is believed to have experienced a runaway greenhouse effect that boiled all it's water away long ago, Mars only enters the habitable zone at it's closest orbit to the sun.
Image from - http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~nowack/
Image from - http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~nowack/
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