Skip to comments.
New 'Gas Dwarf' Class of Alien Planets Revealed
NBC ^
| Nola Taylor Redd, SPACE.com
Posted on 06/02/2014 1:51:22 PM PDT by BenLurkin
These gas-dwarf alien planets have thick atmospheres like their larger gas-giant cousins but never quite made it to the size of the planetary behemoths found in the Earth's the outer solar system, researchers said.
The team studied more than 600 planets discovered by NASA's Kepler space telescope and compared their sizes to the amount of elements other than hydrogen and helium contained in their star a characteristic known as metallicity.
"We were particularly interested in probing the planetary regime smaller than four times the size of Earth, because it includes three-fourths of the planets found by Kepler," lead author Lars A. Buchhave, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), said in a statement. He presented the findings today (June 2) here at the 224th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Boston. [7 Great Exoplanet Discoveries by NASA's Kepler]
"That's where you'll find rocky worlds, which are the only kinds that we would consider potentially habitable," Buchhave said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: xplanets
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-23 next last
1
posted on
06/02/2014 1:51:23 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
The team found clear dividing lines at the planets that were between 1.7 and 3.9 times the size of Earth. These boundaries likely mark changes in composition as well: Planets smaller than 1.7 Earths are likely to be rocky terrestrial bodies, while those 3.9 times larger are apt to be gas giants, the researchers said.
2
posted on
06/02/2014 1:52:15 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
To: BenLurkin; SunkenCiv
interesting.... gas dwarf....
3
posted on
06/02/2014 1:52:39 PM PDT
by
GeronL
(Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
To: BenLurkin
4
posted on
06/02/2014 1:56:09 PM PDT
by
MeshugeMikey
( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
To: GeronL
5
posted on
06/02/2014 1:56:29 PM PDT
by
MeshugeMikey
( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
To: BenLurkin
gas dwarf?
To: BenLurkin
7
posted on
06/02/2014 2:08:54 PM PDT
by
VanDeKoik
To: BenLurkin
....but never quite made it to the size of the planetary behemoths found in the Earth's the outer solar system, researchers said. That some bizzarre writing style there.
8
posted on
06/02/2014 2:10:35 PM PDT
by
ClaytonP
To: MeshugeMikey
Wouldn’t that be red dwarf?
9
posted on
06/02/2014 2:11:11 PM PDT
by
reg45
(Barack 0bama: Implementing class warfare by having no class.)
To: BenLurkin
...a characteristic known as metallisticy...
10
posted on
06/02/2014 2:13:50 PM PDT
by
COBOL2Java
(I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
To: ClaytonP
Must be enjoying the new “weed” laws in Colorado.
11
posted on
06/02/2014 2:14:49 PM PDT
by
SgtHooper
(This is not my tag!)
To: traderrob6
So many targets out thate that could fit that descriptive.
12
posted on
06/02/2014 2:17:44 PM PDT
by
xp38
To: xp38
13
posted on
06/02/2014 2:18:34 PM PDT
by
xp38
To: BenLurkin
Hey, if it can make a sheet ruffle, can I qualify for a ‘gas dwarf’ exemption next year? Tiny of force and stature but still worthy of note.. Unless your cats sleep under the blanket.
14
posted on
06/02/2014 2:20:51 PM PDT
by
NormsRevenge
(Semper Fi - Revolution is a'brewin!!!)
To: reg45
15
posted on
06/02/2014 2:26:18 PM PDT
by
MeshugeMikey
( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
To: BenLurkin
They aren't "alien planets"...they are "undocumented planets."
How insensitive can they get? Sheesh!
To: BenLurkin
They aren't "alien planets"...they are "undocumented planets."
How insensitive can they get? Sheesh!
To: reg45
18
posted on
06/02/2014 2:39:33 PM PDT
by
anymouse
(God didn't write this sitcom we call life, he's just the critic.)
To: BenLurkin
Will liberals boycott NBC for using the words dwarfs & alien? Did NBC not get the note that those are banned words?
To: anymouse
Lister after a pack of Lager and a tray of chicken vindaloos....
Gas Dwarf!
20
posted on
06/02/2014 2:58:07 PM PDT
by
GraceG
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-23 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson