Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

kpete

(71,900 posts)
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 04:22 PM Apr 2014

Scientists find Earth-sized world in orbit friendly to life (Kepler-186f)

Source: Reuters


Kepler-186f, the first validated Earth-size planet to orbit a distant star in the habitable zone?a range of distance from a star where liquid water might pool on the planet's surface, is seen in a NASA artist's concept released April 17, 2014.
CREDIT: REUTERS/NASA/JPL-CALTECH/HANDOUT


(Reuters) - For the first time, scientists have found an Earth-sized world orbiting in a life-friendly zone around a distant star.

The discovery, announced on Thursday, is the closest scientists have come so far to finding a true Earth twin. The star, known as Kepler-186 and located about 500 light years away in the constellation Cygnus, is smaller and redder than the sun.

The star's outermost planet, designated Kepler-186f, receives about one-third the radiation from its parent star as Earth gets from the sun, meaning that high noon on this world would be roughly akin to Earth an hour before sunset, said astronomer Thomas Barclay, with NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California.

The planet is the right distance from its host star for water -- if any exists -- to be liquid on the surface, a condition that scientists suspect is necessary for life.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/17/us-space-earth-planet-idUSBREA3G1XI20140417

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Scientists find Earth-sized world in orbit friendly to life (Kepler-186f) (Original Post) kpete Apr 2014 OP
Have no fear......... Stuart G Apr 2014 #1
Or could it be some kind of black hole Politicalboi Apr 2014 #2
The answer to our prayers.. SummerSnow Apr 2014 #3
It orbits an M-Dwarf star in ~130 days. longship Apr 2014 #4
And...it ain't the only one..(my opinion) many many more.....no text... Stuart G Apr 2014 #5
The Chinese have announced Jackpine Radical Apr 2014 #6
Packing my bags... nt onehandle Apr 2014 #7
Great! The 1% can spend their fortunes getting there Demeter Apr 2014 #8
quite a few multi-multi trillion miles away heaven05 Apr 2014 #9
I call dibs. nt OnyxCollie Apr 2014 #10
In case anyone is curious Exposethefrauds Apr 2014 #11
If the polar regions of Earth Armadotrasgo Apr 2014 #12

Stuart G

(38,359 posts)
1. Have no fear.........
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 04:26 PM
Apr 2014

Have no fear,
They will stay away from here.
Earth is nuts, and stuck..
Aliens ...good luck..

They ain't coming here...
Have no fear

Even if they can go warp speed,
and we are in need.
And we offered them free beer.
They ain't coming here..


thank you...

 

Politicalboi

(15,189 posts)
2. Or could it be some kind of black hole
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 04:30 PM
Apr 2014

With a future look at what earth will be soon. Let me call CNN, I'll get back to ya.

longship

(40,416 posts)
4. It orbits an M-Dwarf star in ~130 days.
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 04:53 PM
Apr 2014

It is at the outer region of the habitable zone, so it's likely a bit cool there. But there might still be liquid water. It is about 1.1 times Earth radius.

Being an M-Dwarf (AKA Red Dwarf) it is a small star, half the radius of Sol. That means the star is cooler, but also is a lot more long-lived than Sol. It could easily be billions of years older than Sol because M-Dwarfs burn their fuel very slowly.

This makes this system very interesting, beyond the fact that it is a first discovered Earth-sized planet in a habitable zone beyond our system.

There's a reason why this announcement is being portrayed as a big deal. It is a big deal.

R&K

Jackpine Radical

(45,274 posts)
6. The Chinese have announced
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 05:10 PM
Apr 2014

that they are picking up pings from underwater on Kepler186 but they don't know if they are from Flight 370.

 

Demeter

(85,373 posts)
8. Great! The 1% can spend their fortunes getting there
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 05:17 PM
Apr 2014

and leave the rest of us to enjoy what's left of this planet.

I'm sure there will be plenty to go around, once the hogs have left the planet...

 

heaven05

(18,124 posts)
9. quite a few multi-multi trillion miles away
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 06:16 PM
Apr 2014

we won't be able to get there for quite a while. But there is always hope we'll find a light speed drive.

 

Exposethefrauds

(531 posts)
11. In case anyone is curious
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 06:52 PM
Apr 2014

The RWNJ’s are already planning to put all the Muslims, Liberals and Progressives on spaceships and send us all there.

What Delusional Moronic fucks they are!
==============
Cool that is was discovered sadly my first thought was, great another planet for us to fuck up!

 

Armadotrasgo

(28 posts)
12. If the polar regions of Earth
Thu Apr 17, 2014, 10:06 PM
Apr 2014

Tell us anything, is it not that any life on this cold planet is likely to be huge and warm-blooded?

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Scientists find Earth-siz...