Boffins spot planet that could support life... just 12 light years away

The Register ^ | 19th December 2012 10:35 GMT | Brid-Aine Parnell

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

But we can’t get there by Friday.

[nomad]

Did any Boffins die, bringing us this information?

[Red Badger]

Tow See Tee Ping!.........

[cripplecreek]

I’d weigh about 800 lbs there.

[kidd]

We are now beginning to understand that Nature seems to overwhelmingly prefer systems that have a multiple planets with orbits of less than one hundred days

Not necessarily true. These are the ones that can be detected with present technology/methods.

[txnativegop]

I’d weigh about 1400 lbs there, somebody needs to pack a crane, I’d need it.

[cripplecreek]

Not necessarily true. These are the ones that can be detected with present technology/methods.

Perzactly. Look how long it took for us to find one small star hugging planet in the Alpha Centauri system. In fact it's likely that most of the super earths and super Jupiters that we've found in habitable zones have multiple moons which may be habitable.

[Neanderthal]

"I’d weigh about 800 lbs there."

Only if the planet has the same diameter as Earth. With a large enough diameter you might weigh the same on the surface of that planet as you do here.

[JRandomFreeper]

Did any Boffins die, bringing us this information?

We don't discuss that. Boffins can be replaced.

/johnny

[Resolute Conservative]

Is it a gun free planet?

[COBOL2Java]

But we can’t get there by Friday.

Sure we can! Top scientists from the University of Rangoon, and the Knoxville, Tennessee College of Faith Healing have the craft ready for liftoff!

[BwanaNdege]

I just finished “Time for the Stars”, By Robert A. Heinlein.

IIRC (my short term memory is kaput), Tau Ceti was home to “Connie”, the first habitable planet found by the Torchship “Lewis & Clark” of the Long Range Foundation.

[cripplecreek]

I’m going by the 5 times mass although the story uses the word incorrectly.

[GreatMan]

Bloomberg would limit your drink size to about 71 ounces there.

[RinaseaofDs]

Hooray!

If Neil Armstong had tried to take his giant step there, he’d have weighed about 1000 earth-pounds and his leg would have snapped like a twig.

It also means anything with the ability to walk around down there would be, on average, five times stronger than the average human.

By all means, let’s colonize it. Let’s send them some flowers and candy and have them come visit.

[Chaguito]

[JRandomFreeper]

on average, five times stronger than the average human.

Short, squaty, strong as an elephant? You mean my second ex-wife was from a high gravity planet?

I often suspected she was rather alien....

/johnny

[Chipper]

Us little people won’t be going. Only the important people.

[Nateman]

"We are now beginning to understand that Nature seems to overwhelmingly prefer systems that have a multiple planets with orbits of less than one hundred days."

Bah Humbug! It is a result of the way planets are detected. The star wobbles slightly and the frequency of the light is shifted. You can detect it easier if the planet is in close so guess what, you find a bunch of planets in close!