Two new planets are discovered

[flashl]

Source: Boston Globe

WASHINGTON - Researchers have discovered two planets in a solar system 5,000 light years away that appears to be structured in some important ways like our own.

more stories like thisThe planets are gas giants similar to but smaller than Jupiter and Saturn, and their relative sizes are also similar. In addition, they circle their star at a distance proportional to the distances of Jupiter and Saturn from the sun.

"This is the first time we've found a Jupiter-like planet in the same system as a Saturn planet," said Scott Gaudi of Ohio State University, lead investigator on the project. "There's reason now to believe there are probably many more solar systems like it."

The discovery, published today in the online edition of the journal Science, lends support to the long-held belief of many astronomers that there are many planets orbiting their stars in ways similar to those in our solar system. Most of the more than 260 planets discovered so far have orbited their suns far more closely than theorized, and the planets have been larger than expected.

Boston Globe

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2008/02/15/two_new_planets_are_discovered/

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Can we now have Pluto back as a planet?

[pattmarty]

1. The new names picked by NASA are: Bush and Cheney.

[izquierdista]

2. Gas giants?

Shouldn't they be named Limbaugh and Hannity??

[Tesha]

3. "Gas giants"? Let's tell Bush!

With a little luck, he'll personally go invade
"to kick their ass and take their gas" (and we
just won't tell him it's ammonia, methane, etc.).

Then we'll be rid of him for at least 10,000 years!

Tesha

[nxylas]

4. When did he ever personally do anything?

He'll just send some kids from the Projects to do it for him.

[AlphaCentauri]

13. "Gas giants?" do they smell bad?

[0007]

5. I've noticed strange people walking around lately. I sure they're

already in the WH! I've always wondered about Dan Burton


Dan fools us by the way he dresses. But if you look
closely at his ears and eyes, you'll noticed that he's indeed
an empty suit from a strange place.

[progressoid]

6. I'm a Gemini. How will this affect my horrorscope?

[classysassy]

7. A home of their own

all republicans get on board for your new home in outer space,so long and happy landing.

[Felix Mala]

8. I say name them Jinxy and Hecuba!

[kskiska]

9. What does the Bible tell us about this?

How can this be explained?

[zonmoy]

10. I am more interested in getting on the first spaceship to another habitable planet.

don't think this ones gonna be real good to live on with the way things are going.

[daleo]

11. It is only a matter of time until an earth-size planet is found

In the habitable zone. I believe they need some more refined telescopes, but it won't be too many more years.

[moobu2]

16. Yea and it will only take 1,000,000,000 years to travel there

[daleo]

25. Lucky for us

The planet might be full of Republicans.

[cliss]

12. Thanks for the update, flashl

Very interesting.

:smoke:

[Robbien]

14. The Pluto situation was my first thought also

They can take back these two planets and give us our Pluto back.

But it makes sense that in the infinite universe there are solar system setups similar to ours.

[bronxiteforever]

15. We need to put up a fence to keep alien planets out of OUR solar system

[frogcycle]

23. HA!

good one

[Defends Reason]

17. Great article

Thanks!

[gulfcoastliberal]

18. "We are on an inexorable path to finding other Earths."

This is why UFO phenomena deserve serious scientific scrutiny.

Here's yet another example.

http://www.wftv.com/video/15310845/detail.html

[moobu2]

20. It’s probably a military air craft

or some other simple explanation, it always is.

[mysteryman2]

19. Great

Can I leave earth it's to violent here.

[Exultant Democracy]

21. I don't know why but this made me very happy, way to go science.

And what a fine looking universe we got to live in if I don't say so myself.

[fortyfeetunder]

22. Where's Scotty when I need him?

Beam me to this planet with an air pack, please!

[happydreams]

24. Let us hope we find intelligent life...

since it has gotten so scarce on this one. :smoke: