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To: LibWhacker
M-type stars already have more basic problems -- a planet close enough to be in the liquid-water zone would get tidelocked to the star. (Because M-type stars are somewhat less massive than G-types like Sol, but a lot less luminous, the habitable zone of an M-type is subject to much stronger stellar gravitational forces, including the tidal component thereof.)
2 posted on 04/09/2009 10:56:47 AM PDT by steve-b (Intelligent design is to evolutionary biology what socialism is to free-market economics.)
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To: steve-b
Regarding "And as far as the first terrestrial planet detection in the habitable zone" even Earth is OUTSIDE our solar system's "habitable zone".

It's been "terraformed" to make it a tad warmer than it would be otherwise at this distance from the Sun.

4 posted on 04/09/2009 11:30:54 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: steve-b
Have a link to any of this? I've heard of tidal force wrt black holes, but not regular stars...

Cheers!

8 posted on 04/09/2009 4:48:35 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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