NASA News Conference on Discovery Beyond Our Solar System

NASA News Conference on Discovery Beyond Our Solar System

Author
Discussion

Eric Mc

121,772 posts

264 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
The problem for looking for life which is NOT as we know it is that we probably wouldn't recognise it.

So - for the moment, the best bet is to look for factors we already know are friendly and condusive for biology as we understand it.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

260 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
Kitchski said:
This 'habitable-zone' criteria doesn't really sit with me anyway. It's only relevant for life as we know it. With the vastness of the observable universe, it'd be a bit narrow minded to assume any form of life would be life 'as we know it'.
.............................................
...who's to take -200degrees C and an absence of water is vital? It's only vital as we know it. We should be looking everywhere.
We should, but the universe is so big we can't. So it makes sense to initially concentrate on environments where we know life can in principle occur.

Kitchski said:
I wouldn't be surprised if there was a below-surface civilisation in a lake on Titan who absorb liquid methane through their reproductive organs, excrete through their hair and who sleep in each other's anal cavaities once every 120 Earth days.
Actually I'd be slightly surprised.

Kitchski

6,514 posts

230 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
Pahh, you guys just aren't looking hard enough. I got a telescope from Amazon a few years ago, I'm gonna try and see if I can spot little critters on Phobos from my bedroom window.

I'll report back when I'm successful smile

Eric Mc

121,772 posts

264 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
Probably a spider at the focal point.

Boring_Chris

2,348 posts

121 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
Kitchski said:
Pahh, you guys just aren't looking hard enough. I got a telescope from Amazon a few years ago, I'm gonna try and see if I can spot little critters on Phobos from my bedroom window.

I'll report back when I'm successful smile
There's an interesting video game that explores this theme.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
Even if it is used to hone techniques, stuff can be learned

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
I cant wait to go on my holiday. choice of several planets, can stay a whole year ( or week depending on your pov).

Easyjet for 866,000 years might need to bring a packed lunch though.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
Holiday lets on edge of light and dark, skiing in the morning, cook alien lobsters in the afternoon

Eric Mc

121,772 posts

264 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Easyjet for 866,000 years might need to bring a packed lunch though.
Ryanair might make you stand all the way.

Boring_Chris

2,348 posts

121 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
I cant wait to go on my holiday. choice of several planets, can stay a whole year ( or week depending on your pov).

Easyjet for 866,000 years might need to bring a packed lunch though.
You'll want to invest in one of these, too;


MiniMan64

16,862 posts

189 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
Quite a dim star too which might improve the chances of learning a bit more about the system

XM5ER

5,087 posts

247 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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Eric Mc said:
Probably tidally locked planets too - so weather would be interesting, if they have atmospheres..
Not necessarily as the system is a lot younger than ours (from what I read). Are Jupiter's moons tidally locked?

Eric Mc

121,772 posts

264 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
I thought they were.

XM5ER

5,087 posts

247 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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You're right, it's just orbital eccentricity that causes tidal heating of a few moons. Googled it now.

Eric Mc

121,772 posts

264 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
Your point about the age of the system is valid - although I thought that the move towards a tidally locked rotation doesn't take that long once the moon or planet has entered a stable orbit around its parent body.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

Saturday 25th February 2017
quotequote all
Kitchski said:
Pahh, you guys just aren't looking hard enough. I got a telescope from Amazon a few years ago, I'm gonna try and see if I can spot little critters on Phobos from my bedroom window.

I'll report back when I'm successful smile
What if you put many pairs of binoculars back to back......



actually thought that was a goer when I were a nipper

DapperDanMan

Original Poster:

2,622 posts

206 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
quotequote all
This time it is within the solar system

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-reveal-...


jmorgan

36,010 posts

283 months

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
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NASA have been almost discovering loads of stuff recently. Which is great as I expect they were worried about their funding.

I wonder if they hold a few discoveries up their sleeves for a rainy day. hehe

Eric Mc

121,772 posts

264 months

Tuesday 11th April 2017
quotequote all
NASA hardly discovers much at all. It's scientists using whatever technology is available to them that makes the discoveries. Sometimes the technology has been supplied through a NASA funded project - but not always.

In many cases, the" NASA discoveries" are the result of joint projects with other agencies such as ESA or institutions such as Johns Hopkins University.
The announcement of this planetary system was made on the day it was made because that was the date it was scheduled for publication in the science journal "Nature".

"Nature" had the priority publication rights on the discovery, so NASA had to sit on their hands until Nature made the formal announcement.