Posted on 08/27/2010 7:23:51 PM PDT by The Magical Mischief Tour
Astronomers have discovered a group of at least five planets – with hints of two more – circling around a star in an arrangement similar to our own solar system. Confirmation of the extra planets would make this the highest tally of alien worlds ever spotted around a single star.
The planets and their own sun-like star are about 127 light-years from Earth, astronomers with the European Southern Observatory said. It is one of just 15 planetary systems known to have more than three worlds.
The five planets circle their parent star, HD 10180, in a regular pattern like the planets of our solar system, only in a more compact arrangement, the researchers said.
Of the two potential additional planets that may be present, one may have a mass that is the closest to the Earth's yet seen, if it is confirmed, they added. [The Strangest Alien Planets]
"We have found what is most likely the system with the most planets yet discovered," astronomer Christophe Lovis, lead author of the study, said in a statement Tuesday. "This remarkable discovery also highlights the fact that we are now entering a new era in exoplanet research: the study of complex planetary systems and not just of individual planets.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
The brownish gray sky at sunset as it would be seen by an observer on Mars - true color mosaic taken by Mars Pathfinder on sol 24 (June 22, 1996) The sky near the sun is a pale blue color. (NASA/JPL)
Several dust devils cross a plain in this animation of a series of images acquired by NASA's Mars Rover Spirit in May, 2005. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/USGS)
Maybe some ice fishing on Europa :)
Thanks for the ping.
Wow, incredible picture, thanks for posting. I hadn’t seen that one before.
Of course. How rude of me.
Both pictures were from ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY ARCHIVE.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
Amazing stuff.
Indeed...Very incredible...
Your link linked to several hundred other links.....Thanks anyway.
Actually, time would move normally for the person travelling at near c. To the observers, time would slow wayyy down for him. If he made a round trip from here to Alpha Centauri at near c, a couple of years (months?) would pass for him, and hundreds of years would pass for us on the ground. Not sure about the numbers, but you get the idea. This stuff gives me a headache, but it is darn cool.
Had a Toyota that went the speed of light. And when the gas pedal stuck, you were really in trouble.
Okay.
That means that..
our whole solar system...
could be, like...
one tiny atom in the fingernail
of some other giant being.
This is too much
That means...
-one tiny atom in my fingernail could be—
-Could be one little...
tiny universe.
Could l buy some pot from you?
No wonder their men keep turning up "missing." :-))
Now, look at the pen, please.
Sun's twin may be home to 9 alien planets -- ANI -- Washington, May 01, 2012
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