Earth-Sized Planets Found Outside Our Solar System Are Blazing Hot
- Posted on December 20, 2011 at 8:20pm by
Liz Klimas
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Artists rendition of Kepler-20f. (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle)
Although Kepler 22-b, discovered earlier this year by NASA’s planet-hunting telescope, is like a temperature twin to Earth, a new announcement today reveals two exoplanets that are Earth-like in size. Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f, NASA said, are the smallest planets found outside of our solar system orbiting a star.
“The primary goal of the Kepler mission is to find Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone,” said Francois Fressin of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., lead author of a new study published in the journal Nature. “This discovery demonstrates for the first time that Earth-size planets exist around other stars, and that we are able to detect them.”
Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f shown in relation to Earth's size. (Image: Infographic via Space.com)
Unfortunately, the two planets are far too close to the star for the temperature to be considered habitable. Kepler-20f reaches an estimated 900 degrees Fahrenheit and Kepler-20e rises to a whopping 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to their extreme temperature, the planets would not have water present.
According to a NASA press release, the planets are in a five planet solar system (Kepler-20) and orbit the star completely in a very short period of time. Kepler-20e completes an orbit around the star in 6.1 days and Kepler-20f makes its way around in 19.6 days.
The distance of planets in Kepler-20 from their star shown in relation to the sun in our solar system. (Image: Infographic via Space.com)
The research notes an unusual arrangement in this solar system in terms of planet size:
In our solar system, small, rocky worlds orbit close to the sun and large, gaseous worlds orbit farther out. In comparison, the planets of Kepler-20 are organized in alternating size: large, small, large, small and large. In our solar system, small, rocky worlds orbit close to the sun and large, gaseous worlds orbit farther out. In comparison, the planets of Kepler-20 are organized in alternating size: large, small, large, small and large.
For this reason, scientists speculate that the system did not originate in its current location. The release states that the researchers think the planets could have formed far away from the star and then moved inward.
Here’s Space.com’s video report on the new findings:
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rdk
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 9:32amSo they are the right size. What is the big deal? The temperatures are furnace like. Are they good places to ship the Occupiers?
Report Post »COOLONE
Posted on December 22, 2011 at 11:00pmWe have to keep looking. Too many libs on this planet
Report Post »RestoreCapitalism
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:32pmIt’s interesting that they are so determined to find another planet that could possibly support life, even if it is too far away to reach. So what then would be the point in finding such a planet so far away that man could never live there?
I think it’s clear that evolutionists want to find another possible earth so they can support their evolutionary theory, kind of the way they search for any missing links between man and apes.
So we have found there are an innumerable planets out there, but none yet found other than earth, have all of the necessary conditions to support life. Mathematically that says that the occurrence of such delicate conditions needed to support life is so rare that so far only one of innumerable planets, actually exists capable of supporting life.
So mathematically, all the conditions that the evolutionists say are needed for evolution, are for practical purposes impossible. And if you find them, according to their theory, it must then be followed by a very very long series of very unlikely accidents for life to occur out of nothing, without God’s help.
I must conclude that life on earth is not an accident, but truly a miracle. A miracle performed by God’s hand.
Report Post »Poggle The Stick
Posted on December 22, 2011 at 10:00amI think that there may be life on other planets, however it will NOT be the life as we know it . If we want to look for the “Little green man”, I think for millions of years we’re going to be quite dissapointed.
Mars is also a waste of time, because even though scientists deny it, they’re REALLY trying to also find the “Little green man”.
We need to open our eyes a bit, because there might be something strange right in our own solar system, such as a mineral with a higher average IQ than human beings. Or, something we are familiar with, little elements of bacteria floating freely in a liquid substance.
Report Post »phillipwgirard
Posted on February 3, 2012 at 5:50pmI agree with you, just sometimes when I look at the next generation of bafoons, I think the human race was a mistake,,,
Report Post »Balpit
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 4:36pmThese planets are suffering from global warming! Oh no!
Seriously though, it’s not size people should consider when it comes to colonization, but whether or not a planet can support life: drinkable water, a moderate temperature, nontoxic air to breathe, soil which can sustain plant life, etc.
Report Post »kenboo1
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:03pmYeah and its our fault… Damn carbon…
Report Post »kenboo1
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:06pmwell yeah kinda… If the planet is the size of Saturn, well then twiggy weights 300 pounds but if its the size of the moon then Andree the giant weighs in at 120 lbs… Size does matter!!!
Report Post »Al Gored
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 12:54pmhot as hell
I predicted this would happen!
Oh…wait…it should be happening by now.
never mind
Al Gored
Report Post »Master Qui-Gon Jinn
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:53amAs a person who has been involved with Space in the military and now out in the civilian world I think this is an amazing step in answering the ultimate question. “Are we truly alone in the Universe?”
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:40amA planet does not make for life…
Report Post »WSGAC
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 12:07pmI wonder if one of these planets is planet Kolob?
Any Mormon theologians here who could chime in?
Report Post »mrfunn
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 1:22pmSpace in the military
Report Post »Hmmmm
Wish you could share
Don’t think there is much of a chance we are totally alone.
dudeman4
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:06pmWSAG
Report Post »We don’t know were Kolob is, except that it’s the closest star to God.
Rayblue
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 7:34amThe arrangement of planet size discounts the present scientific theory of solar system formation. Science is not so empirical it seems.
Report Post »That‘s why they’ve had to stretch the theory some to account for the discrepancy. Captured planets and all.
jnobfan
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 8:23amWhat it demonstrates is we have much to learn about planet and solar systems. IMO it is necessary to get some of us off of this crazy planet ASAP to ensure the survival of our species. We would surely bring some animals with us so don’t you PETA folks get your panties bunched up over it. Absolutely ptsses me off that we do not have a moon base 40 years after the first visit. I believe its a political problem more than an engineering problem. Perhaps some engineers could comment. Thanks
Report Post »nelbert
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:47amKepler-22b seems to come in at a pleasant 70 degrees F.
You state “science is not so empirical it seems.”
Report Post »I would argue it is very empirical.
Science theories bounce around as they attempt to explain the data. That’s the way science works. And the exciting thing about science, is that just when one thinks everything is figured out, some new quirk is found that forces one to rethink. Consider the current experiments being done on presumably faster-than-light neutrinos. The jury is still out, but serious science is investigating one of the central assumptions of physics and a keystone to most of the theories from the past century.
Twobyfour
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 2:12pmOriginally two solar systems merged together. Primary — Saturn, Mercury, Venus, Earth.
Secondary – Sun, Phaeton, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune. There is a dark binary star at about 3.5 x helio pause. Thus our solar system is an usual binary star system, though rather spread out.
Phaeton got trashed in the process resulting in the Asteriod Belt. Pluto was originally a moon of one of the original solar planets (Uranus/Neptune).
I hear objections about Saturn as a star. However, plasma cosmology can provide the theoretical framework to make that plausible.
Report Post »The_Sum_Total_Of_Progressivism_Is_Epic_Failure
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 4:52amBut, you know,’ the interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees, and the crust of the earth is hot ..’.
AG
Report Post »Brents Torts
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:46amlol exactly
Report Post »Kaoscontrol
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 1:52amClearly these planets are inhabited by evil carbon belching capitalists. Thats how we can explains the Global warming that’s taken place…
Report Post »ocean1994
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 2:48amhahah wish there was a like button!
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