Lots more planets found outside solar system

By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein, Ap Science Writer – Mon Oct 19, 9:24 am ET

WASHINGTON – Astronomers have found 32 new planets outside our solar system, adding evidence to the theory that the universe has many places where life could develop.

Scientists using European Southern Observatory telescopes didn't find any planets quite the size of Earth or any that seemed habitable or even unusual. But their announcement increased the number of planets discovered outside the solar system to more than 400.

Six of the newly found planets are several times bigger than Earth, increasing the population of so-called SuperEarths by more than 30 percent. Most planets discovered so far are far bigger, Jupiter-sized or even larger.

Two of the newly discovered planets were as small as five times the size of Earth and one was up to five times larger than Jupiter.

Astronomer Stephane Udry of the University of Geneva said the results support the theory that planet-formation is common, especially with certain type of common stars.

"I'm pretty confident that there are Earth-like planets everywhere," Udry said in a Web-based news conference from a conference in Portugal. "Nature doesn't like a vacuum. If there is space to put a planet there, there will be a planet there."

What astronomers said is especially exciting is the high percentage — about half — of a type of star systems with relatively light stars that had planets around them. This is more than planet-formation theory expected, astronomers said. Two of the four planets found around these type stars were relatively close to Earth size, said astronomer Xavier Bonfils of Grenoble Observatory in France.

The discoveries were made by the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher, which looks for slight wobbles in a star's movements, which would be made by the tug of a planet's gravity on the star. There are no photos of these planets.

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On the Net

European Southern Observatory: http://www.eso.org
http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...ew_planets

I think this adds more evidence to the theory that the universe is full of life. Not saying that hence intelligent life is everywhere, but it sure is not much to be happy with for those who believe we are unique. On the other hand, it gives food for thought as well for those who believe we just happen to be here by chance.

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[Edited 10/19/09 10:18am]

I've always thought were more planets out there outside of our solor system many of which include life. I mean, if the universe is endless, then what makes us so special that we would be the only life in the entire universe? As far as the other planets containing gases or things that we couldn't survive in, maybe there is a species of life that can breathe under those conditions. Kinda like humans breathing air and fish living under water without air. That would certainly explain why we've never made contact with each other if neither one of us can breathe outside of our own planet.
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[Edited 10/19/09 10:44am]

vainandy said:

I'm very hopeful that the Kepler observatory is going to find hundreds if not thousands of earth sized planets--it's almost certain that high metalicity stars contain terrestrial planets.


However, I'm very weary of the idea of 'super earths' due to the fact that the larger mass a planet has, the more likely it will absorb a huge amount of gas around istelf and become a gas planet with a earth-like core.

Venus, which is 85% of our size, has an atmosphere 90 times our density. It's not unlikely that a planet twice earth's mass would trigger sort of a runaway gas collecting effect during formation.

What I'm getting at is that I suspect many of these supposed 'Super Earths' are actually small Neptunes.

However, Kepler will resolve much of this as it has the ability to also record the density of the planet and determine if it's made of rock or gases to a reasonably certain degree.

Either way, I believe actual earth sized planets are out there, and I hope Kepler finds a few within the Goldie Locks zones.

C:\Otaassk~.exe




Oh dear lawd, life is strange.

vivid is my new boo!

vainandy said:

Plus, I'd like to try some dick from another planet and see if it's as good as Earth dick.

C:\Otaassk~.exe




Oh dear lawd, life is strange.

vivid is my new boo!

vainandy said:

cool

vainandy said:

Plus, I'd like to try some dick from another planet and see if it's as good as Earth dick.

Way cool. That does up the chances somewhat of our discovering another planet that can sustain life. I really hope that in my lifetime we come into contact with another, relatively benign, intelligent species. I know this is just my Trek nerd side rearing its head, but I'd really like some kind of interplanetary UN deal like the Federation to become a reality.
[Edited 10/19/09 21:47pm]

vainandy said:

I meant to say the universe instead of the earth.

Tremolina said:

Which one are we sending Rush Limbaugh too?

Interesting.

Here is some actual news on an issue touching the eternal debate in here between creationists and evolutionists and none of them shares their thoughts on this.

Like I said, those creationists who believe we are unique in the universe probabaly don't like this news. But those who believe we are simply a product of random chance aren't cheering either. Interesting.

Tremolina said:

vainandy said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

meow85 said:

Way cool. That does up the chances somewhat of our discovering another planet that can sustain life. I really hope that in my lifetime we come into contact with another, relatively benign, intelligent species. I know this is just my Trek nerd side rearing its head, but I'd really like some kind of interplanetary UN deal like the Federation to become a reality.

Imago said:

Tremolina said:

Tremolina said:

How so? You wanna be a star trek fighter pilot?

OnlyNDaUsa said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Tremolina said:

How so? You wanna be a star trek fighter pilot?

one problem is that dummy einstein and his "we can not go faster than light!" talk!

what a jerk!

Tremolina said:

Yeah well, who knows. My position is that it is very likely that there is life elsewhere in the universe. Possibly even that it is crowded with life. However, whether there is also lots of life as we know it on earth, on an earth like planet, seems much less likely, yet certainly not impossible.

The universe is larger than any of us can fathom. Billions upon billions of planets and galaxies and we have the nerve the think we are the only life forms? Not logical to me.

Tremolina said:

Tremolina said:

Yeah well, who knows. My position is that it is very likely that there is life elsewhere in the universe. Possibly even that it is crowded with life. However, whether there is also lots of life as we know it on earth, on an earth like planet, seems much less likely, yet certainly not impossible.

and I think there are 42 other planets with significant/intelligent life out there.