Earth-Like Planet Discovered

[Ingo]

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/First_ea...tem_discovered

April 24, 2007

A planet 1.5 times greater in radius and with about 5 times earth mass orbiting the red dwarf Gliese 581 has been discovered inside the constellation of Libra.
A 2005 search revealed that the star Gliese 581 possessed a Neptune sized planet, prompting astronomers to take a closer look.
Gliese 581 c, as the planet is currently named, has an estimated surface temperature between 0 and 40°C (32 and 104°F). Scientists claim the planet is likely to have an atmosphere and liquid water.

A second planet, about 8 times the mass of earth, was also discovered not too far from Gliese 581 c.
A team of scientists from France, Switzerland and Portugal discovered the planets using the ESO 3.6-m telescope from the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher or HARPS, located at the European Southern Observatory in La Silla, Chile.
"The separation between the planet and its star is just right for having liquid water at its surface," said team spokesperson Stephane Udry of the Observatory of Geneva in Versoix, Switzerland. "That's why we are a bit excited."
"Liquid water is critical to life as we know it and because of its temperature and relative proximity, this planet will most probably be a very important target of the future space missions dedicated to the search for extra-terrestrial life. On the treasure map of the Universe, one would be tempted to mark this planet with an X," added Xavier Delfosse, from Grenoble University in France.
The newly discovered planet is 20.5 light-years away from the Earth.

Don't know if this is the right place to put this.

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

Hi,

I am fascinated to think what it would be for life on this planet. The report said that light would be dim and red, but conditions warm. So eyesight there would be adapted to the red and infra-red end, and vegetation quite different.

Much of our plantlife reflects infra-red light, but absorbs red and blue light. NASA has studied the question at

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/...um_plants.html

I am reminded of the series "The Dying Earth" by Jack Vance, in which our Sun has become dim and red.

GeoffW

[Ingo]

I read that there would be a total eclipse every other day creating long days and long nights.

[OCULUS]

http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=2703981


no radio noise from this zone. They make stick the Allen Telescope Array at this area.

[iceworks]

If a space-craft could travel at 300,000 kms/day and this planet is 20.5 light years away then I calculate:
Light speed 300,000 kms/sec and space-craft 3.472 kms/sec equates to a factor of 86405. Multiply this by 20.5 equals 177131 years to travel by space-craft to this planet. Assuming that one procreates on the space-ship and has an average life span of seventy, then your 2530th descendant will land on the planet, assuming that it still exists.

ps. I'm no maths genius, so feel free to correct my calculations.