Posted on 04/29/2005 6:19:12 AM PDT by KevinDavis
An asteroid belt may have been found surrounding a star much like our own Sun, according to Dr. Charles Beichman of CIT. His team used NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to make the discovery. If confirmed, this would be the first asteroid belt detected around a star that is about the same age and size as our Sun. If true, it could offer a rare look at a star system that closely resembles our own.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
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This article builds assumption upon assumption until they are talking about aliens inhabiting asteroids in a Sci-Fi novel. Although this MAY be an interesting find, how does the speculation that a distant star that may have an asteroid belt, turn into we have found a star system that resembles our own. Also, there is an artist's rendering of what the star system may look like from a potential planet (What planet?).
What's really ironic is the way that scientists accuse people of faith of having incredible imaginations...
Bookmarked.
Imagination is a good thing.
In science, imagination suggests further observations and experimentation, in other words, testing of hypotheses.
It is the testing that makes science, not the lack of imagination.
You are correct.
A asteroid belt indicates potentially hard rock planet formation, instead of gas giants. Certainly made of the same general stuff as mars-earth-venus-type planets.
I would also think that it would be somewhat difficult (not impossible, by any means) for an asteroid belt to exist too far from the location where one exists around Sol ---- gravity being gravity and a speeds for a stable orbit being reasonably predictable for smallish-asteroid-like objects.
Hence, I could see how an asteroid belt around a star Sol's age and size would be a pretty good predictor of rock planets in or about the mar-earth-venus zone of potentially habitable planets.
While just a theory --- and very well could be wrong --- it is very logical, and worth investigating further.
You are correct; it is worth investigating. I just wish we could get off this "Let's orbit the Earth" BS, get off our butts and get to Mars and beyond.
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