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To: mountainlion

In this context, earth-like means a terrestrial planet (ie made of metal and rock as opposed to a gas giant), having a mass comparable to earth, and orbiting its star at a distance such that its temperature is consistent with the presence of liquid water (liquid water may not actually be present, the temperature just can’t be so cold that water would freeze nor so hot that it would boil). That leaves a lot of possible differences between this planet and earth.


21 posted on 08/24/2016 10:44:42 AM PDT by stremba
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To: stremba

[ In this context, earth-like means a terrestrial planet (ie made of metal and rock as opposed to a gas giant), having a mass comparable to earth, and orbiting its star at a distance such that its temperature is consistent with the presence of liquid water (liquid water may not actually be present, the temperature just can’t be so cold that water would freeze nor so hot that it would boil). That leaves a lot of possible differences between this planet and earth. ]

Since proxima centari is a red dwarf it is probably tidally locked. Unless you are talking about a large moon of a gas giant, or a dual planet system like the earth-moon system.

It could be tidally locked and have life, but it would be an “eyeball” planet

http://www.space.com/20856-alien-planets-eyeball-earths.html


37 posted on 08/24/2016 11:26:00 AM PDT by GraceG (Only a fool works hard in an environment where hard work is not appreciated...)
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