Posted on 09/10/2013 3:49:55 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Explanation: Might this distant planet hold water? Actually, given how close Gliese 1214b is to its parent star, any water, if it exists, would surely be in the form of steam. In the above artist's illustration, the super-Earth Gliese 1214b is imagined passing in front of its parent star, creating a mini-eclipse that alerted humanity to its presence. Gliese 1214b, also designated GJ 1214b, has been designated a super-Earth because it is larger than the Earth but smaller a planet like Neptune. The entire Gliese 1214 planetary system is of the closest known systems to our Sun, located only 42 light years away. The parent star, Gliese 1214 is a slightly smaller and cooler version of our Sun. Recent observations from the Subaru telescope in Hawaii found very little scattering of blue light from the parent star by the planet. This appears most consistent with a planet that has a watery atmosphere -- although it is still possible that the super-Earth has clouds so thick that little of any color of light was scattered. Detecting water on exoplanets is important partly because most lifeforms on Earth need water to survive.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
 |
||
| · join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe · | ||
| Google news searches: exoplanet · exosolar · extrasolar · | ||
The Big One
|
The two most likely places to find habitable conditions are going to be moons of gas giants like Jupiter and/or planets orbiting red or brown dwarf stars inside the heliosphere of those stars. Both would be difficult to detect.
“...only 42 light years away...”
Well, hey, let’s go!
They have a Subaru telescope in Hawaii? Is it four wheel drive?
When we start folding space, we could be there in a few minutes, check it out, evaluate the possibilities, and send colonists the next day if it’s habitable.
Cool.
Great, more background image material ;)
The pic is reminiscent of some of the recent Venus transits of the Sun... This planet probably shares some of its characteristics, like the ultra-dense, hot soupy atmosphere.
Fifteen years ago the techniques then available weren’t sensitive enough to find one of these super-Earths, only super-Jupiters; fifteen years from now several hundred extrasolar systems will have been mapped (main planets only) and more than 20,000 planets known orbiting thousands of stars, all using the technology that is currently in development. By that time the stuff in development will probably rock our socks off.
I’ll be glad when space folding is possible, the universe could use a good tidying up.
The illustrator was probably using that as a guide. :’)
I suppose I’ll have to iron it first, before the folding, I mean.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.