Kepler mission discovers world in "habitable zone"

klazmon · #1 by **klazmon** » Dec 05, 2011 8:50 pm

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/sc ... rstplanet/

NASA wrote:Dec 5, 2011: NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed its first planet in the "habitable zone" of a distant sun-like star.

The newly confirmed planet, Kepler-22b, is about 2.4 times the radius of Earth. Scientists don't yet know if Kepler-22b has a predominantly rocky, gaseous or liquid composition, but its discovery is a step closer to finding Earth-like planets1.

pinkharrier · #2 by **pinkharrier** » Dec 05, 2011 9:23 pm

Couldn't see any reference to gravity on the exoplanet. How would it be calculated given the radius is 2.4 that of earth and assuming it is solid?

Weaver · #3 by **Weaver** » Dec 05, 2011 9:26 pm

You can't really make any calculations simply based on the size - you'd need to know density as well (which, if you look at the Moon, the Earth and Mars, can be quite variable).

What's needed is a bunch more orbits of the planet to determine how much the star moves as the planet orbits - that will generate mass.

One thing that is interesting is that this was a very early detection by Kepler - but, given the 290-day orbit of the planet, it took nearly two years to confirm it was a valid sighting.

HughMcB · #4 by **HughMcB** » Dec 05, 2011 9:27 pm

Pandora here we come. :popcorn:

home_ · #5 by **home_** » Dec 05, 2011 9:38 pm

Wonderful!

Macroinvertebrate · #6 by **Macroinvertebrate** » Dec 06, 2011 1:48 am

This is my favourite kind of news.

GreatApe · #7 by **GreatApe** » Dec 06, 2011 4:58 am

This story grabbed my attention and will hold it for as long as Kepler can gather information. I think it's fascinating.

--GA

byofrcs · #8 by **byofrcs** » Dec 06, 2011 5:10 am

It's 600 light years away. If the aliens on that planet are more technical than us then we'll detect their radio signals before our radio signals get to them. This will allow us to focus on developing even better technology before they realise that we exist. Of course in about 550 years time they'll then receive our first major signals and thus realise that we're here and they will realise that we know that they exist and would have boosted development so they would go to even greater development to make up for our 550 year boost.

Ironclad · #9 by **Ironclad** » Dec 06, 2011 5:59 am

Are you plotting a preemptive strike, byofrcs?

Macroinvertebrate · **#10** by **Macroinvertebrate** » Dec 06, 2011 6:21 am

byofrcs wrote:It's 600 light years away. If the aliens on that planet are more technical than us then we'll detect their radio signals before our radio signals get to them. This will allow us to focus on developing even better technology before they realise that we exist. Of course in about 550 years time they'll then receive our first major signals and thus realise that we're here and they will realise that we know that they exist and would have boosted development so they would go to even greater development to make up for our 550 year boost.

How long does it take radio waves to travel 1 light year?

hackenslash · **#11** by **hackenslash** » Dec 06, 2011 6:42 am

1 year.

Macroinvertebrate · **#12** by **Macroinvertebrate** » Dec 06, 2011 6:55 am

Wait, radio waves travel at the speed of light? I thought only light was capable of traveling that fast...

hackenslash · **#13** by **hackenslash** » Dec 06, 2011 6:57 am

Nope. Radio waves are electromagnetic, and are therefore carried by photons, the bosons of the electromagnetic force. Not only photons can travel at c in any event. All particles with zero rest mass must travel at c.

It's a common misconception, that there is something special about light. It's actually the speed that's special, and the only reason we refer to it as light speed is that that's the thing we can point to that travels at that speed. Light is a bit of a red herring in that regard.

Macroinvertebrate · **#14** by **Macroinvertebrate** » Dec 06, 2011 7:36 am

Ah OK, thanks for the explanation.

DoctorE · **#15** by **DoctorE** » Dec 07, 2011 7:36 am

DoctorE · **#16** by **DoctorE** » Dec 07, 2011 10:17 am

Brian Cox on discovery of planet Kepler 22-b
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16055120

pinkharrier · **#17** by **pinkharrier** » Dec 07, 2011 12:58 pm

I'm still curious about the gravity assuming it has the same consistency as Earth. It may have a radius 2.4 greater but that would mean someone on the surface of that planet would be 2.4 times further away from the centre of it. So the gravity experienced shouldn't be 2.4g. Hmmmmm.

Darkchilde · **#18** by **Darkchilde** » Dec 07, 2011 1:03 pm

pinkharrier wrote:I'm still curious about the gravity assuming it has the same consistency as Earth. It may have a radius 2.4 greater but that would mean someone on the surface of that planet would be 2.4 times further away from the centre of it. So the gravity experienced shouldn't be 2.4g. Hmmmmm.

It will depend on the mass of the planet.

pinkharrier · **#19** by **pinkharrier** » Dec 07, 2011 1:10 pm

Which can be assumed for argument's sake. About 13 times the mass.

FreshwaterSeaCowHero · **#20** by **FreshwaterSeaCowHero** » Dec 07, 2011 6:08 pm

Now i think the next mission regarding that planet sould be finding life there... I don't know how it would be done, but if it can be done they really ought to, as I just can't wait to rub such a thing into the creationist's collective faces.