New earth-like planet discovered

[kuzkasate]

Astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable planet of similar size to Earth in orbit around a nearby star.
A team of planet hunters spotted the alien world circling a red dwarf star called Gliese 581, 20 light years away. The plant is in the "Goldilocks Zone" of space around a star where surface temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water to form.

"Our findings offer a very compelling case for a potentially habitable planet," said Steven Vogt, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz. "The fact that we were able to detect this planet so quickly and so nearby tells us that planets like this must be really common."

If confirmed, the planet would be the most Earth-like that has ever been discovered in another solar system and the first strong contender for a habitable one.


Pretty cool, would be really interested if they found water on the planet, surely this must mean that there are more similar planets that could possibly have life?

What do you think?

[Jordan]

Exciting in a way. But i doubt if there was life on there that it would be as complex as life on Earth. The life their on about is probably little organisms.

[j0rd]

Read this on wikipedia at college :P
Sounds interesting, and i hope they do find water

[dbgtz]

wouldnt it be funny if they discovered us when we discovered them? :L

but yeah, were looking at earth #3.

[HotelUser]

wouldnt it be funny if they discovered us when we discovered them? :L

but yeah, were looking at earth #3.

Well though that could be possible we're seeing what their planet looked like thousands of years ago because due to the distance the light we're seeing is very old. That planet might not even be there anymore :P


Nothing amazes me more than when they make discoveries such as this. I find incredibly hard to think that we're the only home of life in the universe.

[Josh]

Very exciting. Where can I find more information on this?

[Jordan]

here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11444022 (:

[N!ck]

Well though that could be possible we're seeing what their planet looked like thousands of years ago because due to the distance the light we're seeing is very old. That planet might not even be there anymore :P


Nothing amazes me more than when they make discoveries such as this. I find incredibly hard to think that we're the only home of life in the universe.

20 years ago :P.

[Jessicrawrr]

wew, I hope they find water, and then they find out humans can actually inhabit it.

[Jordan]

Even if us humans could live there. It would be very hard to get there. 20 years to get there even in a spaceship close to 1 light year speed thing. (says in article)

But in time to come I'm sure we will come up with things.

[AgnesIO]

Space is such an incredible thing. I just wish there was one close enough for us to actually get to :)

[Ardemax]

It wouldn't be possible to visit this planet in the next (i don't know how many) centuries but if we do and find any life forms, it would be massive
i mean didn't they find traces of water on the moon?
that was big, this will be bigger though. that's what she said