It’s hard to believe that for the vast majority of human civilization we were completely unaware that the galaxy in which we live is but one of trillions of galaxies in the known Universe. It wasn’t until Edwin Hubble’s discovery in the early part of the last century that we knew of other galaxies, even those in our own local cluster.

And it wasn’t until 1995 that we even could confirm that planets existed outside of our own solar system. Indeed, today we haven’t even confirmed that terrestrial planets (rocky earth-sized planets) exist in other star systems.

This will all completely change in the next year—two at the very most with the Keppler terrestrial planet finder. Launched last year, Keppler has the most advanced digital camera lense ever designed (95 goddamaned pixels!) and is viewing a section of sky that has 100,000 viewable stars.

Keppler is using a method of finding planets that cross between the star it is orbiting and the sun called the transit method. The planet crossing paths with a star will slightly dim the star…. VERY VERY slightly… it’s likened to watching a light-house light from a thousand miles away and having a firefly cross it’s path, and trying to measure the dimming of that light.

Now, if only a fraction of those stars have orbiting planets which transit between the star and our view of it here on earth, that would still be thousands of stars available to keppler to view. And being that Keppler will have no problems spotting a planet the size of earth, this means potentially in the next year (or two at the most), Keppler may spot thousands of earth-sized planets, possibly hundreds of them in the goldilocks zone (the zone of space in orbit around the star which allows for liquid water to exist on the planet).

NASA has played down the number of potential discoveries of new planets. However in the first couple of months of Keppler’s operation, there are 170 objects which need to be confirmed. This is at a rate of discovery unparalleled. Over the next couple of years it’s not unforeseeable that over a thousand to several thousands of planets will be discovered by Keppler.

Whichever way you look at it—no matter what type of importance you place upon it—missions over the next 15 to 20 years will completely change our view of the skies above us. We’ve wanted to know for the longest time if there were other planets like ours out there in the Universe. In the next couple of years, we’ll know. Keppler will either tell us that earths occur at a regular pace…or that we may be alone.

Now to be absolutely clear, I’m not saying that Kepler will discover life.. no, no , no. Keppler will simply tell us that there’s a rocky world out there in the goldielocks zone with the right dimensions and environment for life….but that’s amazing given what we currently know (or don’t know).


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[Edited 4/13/10 7:25am]

I so want to live 400 years from now.

Dave1992 said:

Me too.
I find folks who wanted to live in past ages weird.


It's all about the future for me.

TheVoid said:

Do you think space travel will affect the Songkran festival in any way? Will Thais still get each other wet, out there in space? How will Vulcans and Cardassians react when little Dan squirts all over them? The look on their faces must be very amusing.


Go Keppler!

Dave1992 said:

Thais will NEVER go out in space until you can guarantee to them that the solar rays in space won't tan their skin. There isn't enough storage room on space faring vessels to carry the skin whiteners they'd require us to bring with them.

TheVoid said:

A very interesting thought that is!

Dave1992 said:

About 200 years after humanity rendered all life on the planet impossible?

HamsterHuey said:

I have no idea what you're talking about. Let's get drunk.

Dave1992 said:

Come over. I just got some wine.

HamsterHuey said:

I've had too much wine yesterday... I need a break for at least 24 hours.



How 'bout beer?

Dave1992 said:

DONT U LOT T!!!
TELL MR PRINCE HAS BOOKED UP ONe OF THESE PLANETS !!! I said a world tour would help him out not billions miles away planets tour who's selling tickets martiens I'm looking 4 aspaceship for sale !!!!

roseberet said:

Dave1992 said:

I got some Duvel's ice cold, matey.

Interesting. My question is, when they find something other worldly, do u think they will "share" that with the public? I don't think they will.

Graycap23 said:

What are you implying?

Graycap23 said:

When they find something other "wordly", I'll jump on my vespa and go there!

HamsterHuey said:

Dave1992 said:

TheVoid said:

Dave1992 said:

OMG, your hair!!!!



YOU GO BOY!

Dave1992 said:

I am already holding yours.

HamsterHuey said:

You are too quick for me!

Nevertheless:




My one and only.

Dave1992 said:

Your Prrrrreciousssss

And it's a two-seater.

TheVoid said:

That was three weeks ago or something. The hair is gone now!

HamsterHuey said:

You wanna join me on my ride to the other worldy planet?

HamsterHuey said:

How come I don't feel it?

TheVoid said:

That's gotta be the stupidest fucking astronomical nomenclature that I've ever heard.

Dave1992 said:

Hell yesssss.
My preciousssss.

HamsterHuey said:

Is that lisping?