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Sun may not be a 'Goldilocks' star
Science News ^ | 11/18/09 | Lisa Grossman

Posted on 11/19/2009 5:20:39 PM PST by KevinDavis

Want to make a planet that can sustain carbon-based life? Don’t park it in orbit around a sunlike star.

“For the long term, the sun may not be the best star,” says Edward Guinan of Villanova University in Pennsylvania, coauthor of a paper reporting a new model about the suitability of planets for life. Smaller, cooler stars called orange dwarf stars might be the most hospitable, he says.

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencenews.org ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Miscellaneous; Science
KEYWORDS: goldilocks; goldilocksplanet; goldilockszone; space; xplanets

1 posted on 11/19/2009 5:20:39 PM PST by KevinDavis
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To: Empireoftheatom48; Rio; Iowan; hattend; reader25; july4thfreedomfoundation; NorwegianViking; ...


For other space news go to: http://www.spacetoday.net
For a list of Private Space Companies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies


2 posted on 11/19/2009 5:21:20 PM PST by KevinDavis (Can't Stop the Signal!)
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To: KevinDavis
Meh, I think I'll take the one that's issued.
Let's see how the other suns and planets are fairing with their life forms first before we say ours isn't the bee's knees. (I believe that's the scientific term.)
3 posted on 11/19/2009 5:23:31 PM PST by IrishCatholic (No local Communist or Socialist Party Chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing!)
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To: KevinDavis
Want to make a planet that can sustain carbon-based life? Don’t park it in orbit around a sunlike star.

Don't believe your lying eyes!

Is this guy fishing for funding?

4 posted on 11/19/2009 5:24:05 PM PST by hattend (Pray for Obama!! Psalm 109:8 Amen!)
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To: IrishCatholic

LOL

Some people will settle for anything.


5 posted on 11/19/2009 5:24:17 PM PST by cripplecreek (Seniors, the new shovel ready project under socialized medicine.)
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To: KevinDavis

>>For the long term, the sun may not be the best star. Smaller, cooler stars ... might be the most hospitable...<<

Interestingly, I said the same about Jim Carrey from the very beginning.


6 posted on 11/19/2009 5:24:22 PM PST by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: KevinDavis
“For the long term, the sun may not be the best star,” says Edward Guinan of Villanova University

Edward? Who knew!

7 posted on 11/19/2009 5:36:23 PM PST by mikrofon (s)He should know... ;)
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To: KevinDavis
“This is the type of radiation that has biggest potential for producing biological damage,” says lead author Manfred Cuntz of the University of Texas at Arlington. “X-rays are in many cases very effectively shielded by the atmosphere of a planet. Ultraviolet has a greater chance of sneaking through.”

Don't these scientists maintain that said radiation also the cause of mutations that account for evolution of new species? Hmmm...

8 posted on 11/19/2009 5:40:17 PM PST by Hugin (Sarah Palin: accept no substitutes!)
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To: KevinDavis; annie laurie; garbageseeker; Knitting A Conundrum; Viking2002; Ernest_at_the_Beach; ...
Thanks KevinDavis!
 
X-Planets
· join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe ·
Google news searches: exoplanet · exosolar · extrasolar ·

9 posted on 11/19/2009 6:06:15 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: mikrofon
“For the long term, the sun may not be the best star,” says Edward Guinan of Villanova University:
And for the long term, there is nothing we can do about it.
10 posted on 11/19/2009 7:47:11 PM PST by American Constitutionalist (There is no civility in the way the Communist/Marxist want to destroy the USA)
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To: KevinDavis
Well, then, let's raise a glass to the Earth, for doing pretty darn good in a rough neighborhood.
11 posted on 11/20/2009 9:25:56 AM PST by colorado tanker (What's it all about, Barrrrry? Is it just for the power, you live?)
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To: KevinDavis

He forgot to mention that there is only about a billion years left before the sun becomes too hot for the Earth to sustain life, and 4 billion before it goes into red giant stage. Red dwarf stars don’t have this issue. I guess the good thing is that by then, I am sure technology will have advanced to a point that it won’t matter. Humanity will be living in a Dyson sphere somewhere.


12 posted on 11/20/2009 10:31:10 AM PST by America_Right (The best thing about the Obama Presidency: McCain isn't the President!)
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To: KevinDavis

Sheesh, everybody’s a critic. I figure as long as I get my solar collectors up by the time the sun expands I’ll be fine. Lay in some SPF 5000 lotion. Say goodbye to the snow blower. Dang it, when life gives you lemons you just build a trebuchet and chuck ‘em back...


13 posted on 11/20/2009 10:55:57 AM PST by Billthedrill
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