NASA's Deep Space Camera Locates Host of 'Earths'

[tlongII]

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/...est=latestnews

Scientists celebrated Sunday after finding more than 700 suspected new planets -- including up to 140 similar in size to Earth -- in just six weeks of using a powerful new space observatory.

Early results from NASA’s Kepler Mission, a small satellite observing deep space, suggested planets like Earth were far more common than previously thought.

Past discoveries suggested most planets outside our solar system were gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn -- but the new evidence tipped the balance in favor of solid worlds.

Astronomers said the discovery meant the chances of eventually finding truly Earth-like planets capable of sustaining life rose sharply.

NASA so far formally announced only five new exoplanets -- those outside our solar system -- from the mission because its scientists were still analyzing Kepler’s finds to confirm they are actually planets.

“The figures suggest our galaxy, the Milky Way [which has more than 100 billion stars] will contain 100 million habitable planets, and soon we will be identifying the first of them,” said Dimitar Sasselov, professor of astronomy at Harvard University and a scientist on the Kepler Mission. "There is a lot more work we need to do with this, but the statistical result is loud and clear, and it is that planets like our own Earth are out there."

[DMX7]

Look at Roy Peach go to town in the comments sections. Here's a sampling.

"'Past discoveries suggested most planets outside our solar system were gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn' - Liberal Wonk It's all LIBERAL GARBAGE. They ain't got no pictures, of them planets, just twinkelen lights. Of course they found them planets... Sure they did. And they stole my money to do it. Filthy Liberal S ."

"This is just more Junk Science from the anti-God/Commie/Global Warming crowd at NASA. They are just shilling for Obama and those Liberal Traitors to get more of the American tax payers money so they can waste it on rockets to nowhere. These people are worthless. Get them out of God's country and get NASA off the tax payers back. If I want my hard earned money to be wasted on some NASA Parasite's vision of the future he imagines from seeing some twinkling lights then I'll send the worthless animal a donation.. Otherwise... Get your stinking hand out of my pocket.. Commie."

[mrsmaalox]

Interesting article But I was disappointed because I thought the host of some show called "Earths" had been lost and was located using some super-duper search method.

Look at Roy Peach go to town in the comments sections. Here's a sampling.

"'Past discoveries suggested most planets outside our solar system were gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn' - Liberal Wonk It's all LIBERAL GARBAGE. They ain't got no pictures, of them planets, just twinkelen lights. Of course they found them planets... Sure they did. And they stole my money to do it. Filthy Liberal S ."

"This is just more Junk Science from the anti-God/Commie/Global Warming crowd at NASA. They are just shilling for Obama and those Liberal Traitors to get more of the American tax payers money so they can waste it on rockets to nowhere. These people are worthless. Get them out of God's country and get NASA off the tax payers back. If I want my hard earned money to be wasted on some NASA Parasite's vision of the future he imagines from seeing some twinkling lights then I'll send the worthless animal a donation.. Otherwise... Get your stinking hand out of my pocket.. Commie."

I think Roy Peach posts in the Political forum here.

[The Reckoning]

hopefully it won't be too late to be able to colonize the planets.

the economic resources to do so are ridiculous and would take the entire production of several developed nations just to afford it. itd need total war sacrifices to do so. that would take a drastic situation to jumpstart the effort and by then itd probably be too late.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Someone's a little slow with that rimshot.

[WESTACKED]

even with the cir stances fully habitable, there's still no guarantee that life can be existing there. God definitely had a hand in the creatures emerging and evolution and I believe God has only chosen one planet to sow lives in, which is the earth that we live on.

[TDMVPDPOY]

even with the cir stances fully habitable, there's still no guarantee that life can be existing there. God definitely had a hand in the creatures emerging and evolution and I believe God has only chosen one planet to sow lives in, which is the earth that we live on.

in the bible it only says god made t he earth, now that scientists have found other planets etc...u going to say god had a hand in it? maybe the revolutionist should rewrite the bible and say god made the universe...

[bigzak25]

I believe there will be a time in the distant future when we must vacate or beloved planet Earth...and seek to inhabit a sister Earth.

This will be a time when the world is not as we know it now, and will be a time when mankind is in harmony with each other. This will allow for the development of the needed technology to allow for space travel at tremendous speeds...maybe even the speed of light. I believe we have only scratched the surface with regard to nuclear technology as it will be the key energy source.

But alas, we are caught up in conflict, and that is a long way away.

[bigzak25]

in the bible it only says god made t he earth, now that scientists have found other planets etc...u going to say god had a hand in it? maybe the revolutionist should rewrite the bible and say god made the universe...

The Wisdom of God is delivered to us only in portions that He deems we need.

The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.

Heavens can have quite a broad interpretation my friend...all encompassing even, from my point of view.

[grindmouse]

maybe the revolutionist should rewrite the bible

Maybe after the schools rewrite the text books?

[iilluzioN]

im going to freeze myself till 2335


one day, one of these planets will be owned by me and my peoples would be clubbing allll day sons!

[Wild Cobra]

Interesting article But I was disappointed because I thought the host of some show called "Earths" had been lost and was located using some super-duper search method.

Yep. Big disappointment for me too. "Earth sized" is far from being earth like. To have a vivable environment, a planet must be at a distance from a star that allows it's greenhouse gasses to maintain a livable temperature. then there also needs to be at least one moon, and proper gas mixes.

OK, let me get this strait...

So far, no earth like planets are found. Right?

[Wild Cobra]

in the bible it only says god made t he earth, now that scientists have found other planets etc...u going to say god had a hand in it? maybe the revolutionist should rewrite the bible and say god made the universe...

"God created the heavens (universe) and the earth."

It doesn't say God didn't create life elsewhere, now, does it?

No revisions needed.

[Drachen]

Yep. Big disappointment for me too. "Earth sized" is far from being earth like. To have a vivable environment, a planet must be at a distance from a star that allows it's greenhouse gasses to maintain a livable temperature. then there also needs to be at least one moon, and proper gas mixes.

OK, let me get this strait...

So far, no earth like planets are found. Right?

How is this a disappointment? You have to find earth-like planets before you can find earth like conditions. This telescope found 140 earth-like planets in a very short time span. Now you wittle those down using some of the conditions you have mentioned.

[CosmicCowboy]

in the bible it only says god made t he earth, now that scientists have found other planets etc...u going to say god had a hand in it? maybe the revolutionist should rewrite the bible and say god made the universe...

So Gods just the regional manager and not the CEO?

[DarkReign]

So Gods just the regional manager and not the CEO?

Ha...

Not even God can avoid the bureaucracy.

[boutons_deux]

BigZak

I love your parody of someone having cauliflower for brains.

[baseline bum]

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/...est=latestnews

Scientists celebrated Sunday after finding more than 700 suspected new planets -- including up to 140 similar in size to Earth -- in just six weeks of using a powerful new space observatory.

Early results from NASA’s Kepler Mission, a small satellite observing deep space, suggested planets like Earth were far more common than previously thought.

Past discoveries suggested most planets outside our solar system were gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn -- but the new evidence tipped the balance in favor of solid worlds.

Astronomers said the discovery meant the chances of eventually finding truly Earth-like planets capable of sustaining life rose sharply.

NASA so far formally announced only five new exoplanets -- those outside our solar system -- from the mission because its scientists were still analyzing Kepler’s finds to confirm they are actually planets.

“The figures suggest our galaxy, the Milky Way [which has more than 100 billion stars] will contain 100 million habitable planets, and soon we will be identifying the first of them,” said Dimitar Sasselov, professor of astronomy at Harvard University and a scientist on the Kepler Mission. "There is a lot more work we need to do with this, but the statistical result is loud and clear, and it is that planets like our own Earth are out there."

It requires a of a lot to be Earth-like. For one, the planet would have to be orbiting a single-star system, as a binary system would cause a cloverleaf orbit that would ensure there would never be a somewhat constant temperature like we see on Earth with our very ineccentric orbit. Then the distance from the star in combination with its size and energy output would be vitally important also, so that a similar amount of radiation from the star could be caught by the planet as what ours gets. Then the planet would have to get hit by lots of comets to transfer water to it. The planet would need a molten core in rotation like ours' to create a strong magnetic field; otherwise, the "wind" of charged particles released from flares from the parent star would completely blow away any semblance of atmosphere that could be created on the planet. Then there would have to be life already present, as otherwise I don't see how man could feed himself without having good soil to grow in and places for stock to graze in.

All those factors together make it pretty unlikely we'll ever find habitable planets. Exoplanets are never observed directly; the closest thing one could call to direct observation is looking at how much dimming there is of the star it orbits around as the planet shadows it in the orbit. The main way extra-solar planets are found is by checking the gravitational wobble of the star; e.g., both the star and the planet orbit around the center of mass of the system, which is very close to where the star is located but not exactly there, so we see a wobble in the star. From seeing a wobble, I don't know how one could know whether the planet had a molten core and an atmosphere with oxygen, CO2, and nitrogen, as spectroscopy can't be done when you can't see the planet.

[Wild Cobra]

How is this a disappointment? You have to find earth-like planets before you can find earth like conditions. This telescope found 140 earth-like planets in a very short time span. Now you wittle those down using some of the conditions you have mentioned.

Read that again. It said 140 that have a similar size. Not eart like.

Venus is similar in size to earth. It is in no way close to earth like.

[Wild Cobra]

Wow BB...

Something we agree on.

I forgot about the importance of the magnetic field. That, and all the other necessities for insuring a proper atmosphere...

It's not the size so much as it is all these other factors.

[JoeChalupa]

blue people?

[Leetonidas]

lol god

[bigzak25]

BigZak

I love your parody of someone having cauliflower for brains.

I don't know that I've ever had cauliflower...

But if you're comparing my brain to a flower, I cannot help but be flattered.

Thanks boutons!

[Wild Cobra]

blue people?

That's right.

We will go to Pandora to mine the unobtainium.

[mouse]

Lets say they do find a planet like Earth and it has oxygen water plants etc...


And we drop off a group of people to start a colony/new civilizations after a few generations when do you begin to teach evolution?

At some point the kids in school are going to ask how they got there.

What are you going to say that a spacecraft many years ago landed here from a place called planet Earth were people originally evolved from apes?


good luck with that one.