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A whopping seven Earth-size planets were just found orbiting a nearby star
Popular Science ^ | February 22, 2017 | Sarah Fecht

Posted on 02/22/2017 11:21:30 AM PST by C19fan

Planet-hunters are always on the lookout for worlds that look like Earth—rocky planets that are not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to flow on the surface. Now scientists have hit the jackpot, discovering seven Earth-size exoplanets orbiting a single star just 39 light-years away. The star, named TRAPPIST-1, was thought to be home to three exoplanets. But with the help of a variety of observatories—including the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (a.k.a. TRAPPIST, the star's namesake), the Very Large Telescope in Chile, and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope—researchers found four more planets in the system. The planets were discovered as they passed in front of the star, blocking some of its light from Earth's point-of-view.

(Excerpt) Read more at popsci.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: astronomy; kepler; planets; science; trappist; trappist1; xplanets
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To: Mr. K

If they have water the tides would be interesting.
= = =

Better send algore up there.

To warn them about rising seas, you know.


41 posted on 02/22/2017 11:59:21 AM PST by Scrambler Bob (Brought to you from Turtle Island, otherwise known as 'So-Called North America')
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To: from occupied ga

How much for first class? I’d also like to order the kosher meal.


42 posted on 02/22/2017 11:59:26 AM PST by lowbridge
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To: cicero2k

“The demotion of humans, as special beings; continues.”

But we still get a Participation trophy!


43 posted on 02/22/2017 12:01:11 PM PST by Justa
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To: LibWhacker

So any life that exists there is probably only single-cell life at this point.
= = =

So this is a planet full of demoncrats?


44 posted on 02/22/2017 12:02:22 PM PST by Scrambler Bob (Brought to you from Turtle Island, otherwise known as 'So-Called North America')
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To: Bubba_Leroy

the planet is called Venus.

I would not want to try and live there.
= = =

I prefer Mars.


45 posted on 02/22/2017 12:04:38 PM PST by Scrambler Bob (Brought to you from Turtle Island, otherwise known as 'So-Called North America')
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To: C19fan

Is Rosie going?


46 posted on 02/22/2017 12:06:53 PM PST by DonkeyBonker (President Trump - Making America Great Again!)
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To: C19fan

I think it’s now increasingly likely the nearest stars to our Solar System could contain rocky crust planets. Find one where there is water vapor in the atmosphere and there is a good chance some form of life exists on that planet.


47 posted on 02/22/2017 12:08:23 PM PST by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's economic cure)
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To: Snickering Hound

Not all red dwarves flair continually.


48 posted on 02/22/2017 12:09:58 PM PST by dangus
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To: C19fan

Nearby red-dwarf system with lots of near-Earths? Bortron?

(Am I the only one with young kids?)


49 posted on 02/22/2017 12:10:51 PM PST by dangus
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To: RayChuang88

Water vapor is all over the place. Find elemental oxygen in the atmosphere. Elemental oxygen is the 2nd most reactive substance in the universe; without photosynthesis, it’s certain to have reacted with *something* on the planet.


50 posted on 02/22/2017 12:12:43 PM PST by dangus
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To: tired&retired
Mmmm.


51 posted on 02/22/2017 12:15:46 PM PST by Gamecock
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To: JRandomFreeper

Ping.


52 posted on 02/22/2017 12:20:40 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: C19fan

Mr. Spock, cancel the away teams. All seven are class M planets, but every one of them is populated by democrats!

53 posted on 02/22/2017 12:32:43 PM PST by JPG (TRUMP WINS!!)
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To: ClearBlueSky; RedStateRocker

it seems to really limit God, to assume that he created just this earth with life and people, and simply stopped. Creation is limitless, or God Himself is finite, and isn’t God.


54 posted on 02/22/2017 12:33:36 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, If you can keep it.")
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To: from occupied ga
On top of that:

Space is a harsh environment for humans—we didn't evolve to live there. Systems throughout our body have specifically evolved to function under the stresses of gravity.

Because our muscles are constantly working against gravity on Earth, those muscles have a lot less work to do in space. In other words, they'll start to atrophy. That includes our heart (which shrinks a little), the muscles in our neck that hold up our heads, and our calves.

Since our bones don't experience the same loads they do on the ground, they feel no need to maintain themselves. Bone tissue is still absorbed, but it doesn't rebuild itself like it would on Earth. This absorbed bone can cause kidney stones, and the places where the bone has weakened can easily fracture.

So even if we survived that trip what good would it do. We couldn't even leave the spacecraft. 8>)

55 posted on 02/22/2017 12:34:34 PM PST by Robert DeLong
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To: rktman

Enjoy the trip, you will need the beer and lots of it!!!! 8>)


56 posted on 02/22/2017 12:35:16 PM PST by Robert DeLong
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To: C19fan

This is the age of Star Trump...To Bigly go etc.


57 posted on 02/22/2017 12:39:11 PM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: C19fan

Lovely! a new planet where Muslims and Liberals can go and live in perfect harmony!


58 posted on 02/22/2017 12:42:14 PM PST by Pilgrim's Progress (http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/BYTOPICS/tabid/335/Default.aspx D)
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To: C19fan

I vote we send Al Gore there immediately to search for global warming.


59 posted on 02/22/2017 12:48:52 PM PST by SolidRedState (I used to think bizarro world was a fiction.)
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To: Robert DeLong
There can be simulated gravity in space.
60 posted on 02/22/2017 12:50:22 PM PST by rednesss (fascism is the union,marriage,merger or fusion of corporate economic power with governmental power)
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