Science NASA is making a big announcement about an exoplanet Thursday - Page 3

**DaFace** · 07-22-2015, 10:30 PM

Press conference is tomorrow at 11am Central. And a ton of money just got thrown at SETI. Coincidence?

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/...et-annoucement

Nasa may have found the most Earth-like planet to date

The US space agency is holding a press conference tomorrow, 23 July, to reveal the latest discoveries of its exoplanet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope. The scope, launched in 2009, seeks out planets that reside in the habitable zone, known colloquially as the Goldilocks zone. Planets in this location orbit their star at a safe enough distance to potentially host liquid water on their surface. The majority of the planets identified by Kepler have been giant gas planets, akin to Jupiter in our own Solar System, with only eight being less than twice Earth's size and in the Goldilocks zone. It's suspected that the Nasa announcement could confirm the identification of the most Earth-like planet to date.

"Exoplanets, especially small Earth-size worlds, belonged within the realm of science fiction just 21 years ago. Today, and thousands of discoveries later, astronomers are on the cusp of finding something people have dreamed about for thousands of years -- another Earth," a Nasa release teases, before confirming that Kepler's data analysis lead Jon Jenkins and Kepler research scientist Jeff Coughlin would be in attendance.

Kepler has already confirmed more than 1,000 exoplanets and 3,000 planet candidates using something called the transit method. The 0.95m-diameter telescope monitors the brightness of around 100,000 stars, looking for any dimming. That dimming occurs when a planet passes behind its star in orbit. Nasa compares that change in light to "the drop in brightness of a car's headlight when a fruitfly moves in front of it" -- hence, very few have been found to date. If Kepler identifies one instance, that is then repeated at regular intervals, a planet is confirmed. Planet size and temperature is estimated based on the intervals between transits, which in turn lets us know what the chances are it's habitable. The Kepler research team has also worked with crowdsourcing initiative Zooniverse to build Planet Hunters, a platform that allows the public to look for changes in brightness themselves.

Earlier this year Kepler found another eight new planets in the Goldilocks zone, doubling the number of exoplanets found that have a diameter less that double Earth's. "We're now closer than we've ever been for finding a twin for Earth," astronomer Fergal Mullally of the Kepler Science Office said at the time.

The two most Earth-like planets in this new discovery were named Kepler-438b and Kepler-442b, but both were larger than Earth and orbiting red dwarf stars far cooler than our own Sun. Nevertheless, it was calculated that the planets had a 60-70 percent chance of being rocky like Earth. This is one of the key factors planetary scientists seek out since, more often than not, the Earth-like exoplanets Kepler identifies are gaseous. The planets were given a 70 and 97 percent chance of being in the habitable zone, respectively. But like the "Earth-like" planets before them, both receive far more or less light than our own planet -- 40 percent more and two-thirds less respectively.

The fact that Nasa is holding a press conference on the news, rather than it being released to the public via research papers as has often been the case in the past, suggests the mission may have discovered a candidate that even more closely resembles our own planet.

**ptlyon** · 07-23-2015, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

So about what I expected - they've got one out there that our models say is in the right zone where it could have water, and it's been around a lot longer than us - meaning that life has had plenty of time to develop compared to how long it took here.

Again, we haven't found aliens, but it's pretty exciting that they have a target out there like that to really study closely now.

I'm sure we will find all inhabited life is gone due to climate change

Fish · 07-23-2015, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King_Chief_Fan

so interested in life beyond this planet but we destroy life through abortions on this planet.

**Bowser** · 07-23-2015, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Yeah but....1400 Light Years? Wtf are we going to study from 1400 Light Years away?

Maybe they have a telescope on us right now, studying us from 1400 years ago. Maybe theirs can zoom way far in, and they're getting a good look at the maidens in castles with their boobs all pushed up in those dresses they used to wear.

**DaFace** · 07-23-2015, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Yeah but....1400 Light Years? Wtf are we going to study from 1400 Light Years away?

You'd be surprised. Not an expert, but...

We are able to study the chemicals that are present from sources very far away based on the light spectrum that we pick up. They'll be looking for chemicals that we know are commonly associated with life. For example, diatomic oxygen is one of those that would be an indicator. The holy grail would be figuring out how to detect chlorophyll - if they can find that one, it's gonna make headlines.

Here's an article that explains it a bit:

http://news.discovery.com/space/alie...ets-140505.htm

**DaFace** · 07-23-2015, 12:07 PM

Nifty graphic to show why everyone's so excited about this one compared to the other exoplanets we already know about:

aturnis · 07-23-2015, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

You'd be surprised. Not an expert, but...

We are able to study the chemicals that are present from sources very far away based on the light spectrum that we pick up. They'll be looking for chemicals that we know are commonly associated with life. For example, diatomic oxygen is one of those that would be an indicator. The holy grail would be figuring out how to detect chlorophyll - if they can find that one, it's gonna make headlines.

Here's an article that explains it a bit:

http://news.discovery.com/space/alie...ets-140505.htm

More like BOREphyll! Amiright?!

Hog's Gone Fishin · 07-23-2015, 12:34 PM

Would be cool if we discovered a planet populated with nothing but victorias secret type nymphos.

KINGPIN CHIEFS FAN · 07-23-2015, 01:22 PM

Maybe if we left right now on a spaceship, by the time we get to our destination the Chiefs will have another Superbowl trophy.

keg in kc · 07-23-2015, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

When NASA does discover extraterrestrial life, I think that the public will be notified in stages, not "Hey, we found it! Check it out!".

I think it could conceivably be argued that they may already have been notifying us in stages, and this is just the latest step in the process.

keg in kc · 07-23-2015, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KINGPIN CHIEFS FAN

Maybe if we left right now on a spaceship, by the time we get to our destination the Chiefs will have another Superbowl trophy.

And people say alien life traveling here is impossible. You just mentioned something even more unlikely.

**DaneMcCloud** · 07-23-2015, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I think it could conceivably be argued that they may already have been notifying us in stages, and this is just the latest step in the process.

I believe so as well

**Donger** · 07-23-2015, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I believe so as well

Really?

KINGPIN CHIEFS FAN · 07-23-2015, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keg in kc

And people say alien life traveling here is impossible. You just mentioned something even more unlikely.

Which one is more unlikely? Us traveling to the newly discovered planet or the Chiefs winning another Superbowl in the next 1400 years.

**The Franchise** · 07-23-2015, 01:33 PM

Well God had to have a dry run first.....obviously.

keg in kc · 07-23-2015, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KINGPIN CHIEFS FAN

Which one is more unlikely? Us traveling to the newly discovered planet or the Chiefs winning another Superbowl in the next 1400 years.

I'd go with the Chiefs. Maybe not 1400 years, but it wouldn't surprise me if we traveled to that planet before they win another title.

07-22-2015, 10:30 PM
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $2036899	NASA is making a big announcement about an exoplanet Thursday Press conference is tomorrow at 11am Central. And a ton of money just got thrown at SETI. Coincidence? http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/...et-annoucement Nasa may have found the most Earth-like planet to date The US space agency is holding a press conference tomorrow, 23 July, to reveal the latest discoveries of its exoplanet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope. The scope, launched in 2009, seeks out planets that reside in the habitable zone, known colloquially as the Goldilocks zone. Planets in this location orbit their star at a safe enough distance to potentially host liquid water on their surface. The majority of the planets identified by Kepler have been giant gas planets, akin to Jupiter in our own Solar System, with only eight being less than twice Earth's size and in the Goldilocks zone. It's suspected that the Nasa announcement could confirm the identification of the most Earth-like planet to date. "Exoplanets, especially small Earth-size worlds, belonged within the realm of science fiction just 21 years ago. Today, and thousands of discoveries later, astronomers are on the cusp of finding something people have dreamed about for thousands of years -- another Earth," a Nasa release teases, before confirming that Kepler's data analysis lead Jon Jenkins and Kepler research scientist Jeff Coughlin would be in attendance. Kepler has already confirmed more than 1,000 exoplanets and 3,000 planet candidates using something called the transit method. The 0.95m-diameter telescope monitors the brightness of around 100,000 stars, looking for any dimming. That dimming occurs when a planet passes behind its star in orbit. Nasa compares that change in light to "the drop in brightness of a car's headlight when a fruitfly moves in front of it" -- hence, very few have been found to date. If Kepler identifies one instance, that is then repeated at regular intervals, a planet is confirmed. Planet size and temperature is estimated based on the intervals between transits, which in turn lets us know what the chances are it's habitable. The Kepler research team has also worked with crowdsourcing initiative Zooniverse to build Planet Hunters, a platform that allows the public to look for changes in brightness themselves. Earlier this year Kepler found another eight new planets in the Goldilocks zone, doubling the number of exoplanets found that have a diameter less that double Earth's. "We're now closer than we've ever been for finding a twin for Earth," astronomer Fergal Mullally of the Kepler Science Office said at the time. The two most Earth-like planets in this new discovery were named Kepler-438b and Kepler-442b, but both were larger than Earth and orbiting red dwarf stars far cooler than our own Sun. Nevertheless, it was calculated that the planets had a 60-70 percent chance of being rocky like Earth. This is one of the key factors planetary scientists seek out since, more often than not, the Earth-like exoplanets Kepler identifies are gaseous. The planets were given a 70 and 97 percent chance of being in the habitable zone, respectively. But like the "Earth-like" planets before them, both receive far more or less light than our own planet -- 40 percent more and two-thirds less respectively. The fact that Nasa is holding a press conference on the news, rather than it being released to the public via research papers as has often been the case in the past, suggests the mission may have discovered a candidate that even more closely resembles our own planet.
Posts: 51,768

07-23-2015, 12:07 PM	#35
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $2036899	Nifty graphic to show why everyone's so excited about this one compared to the other exoplanets we already know about:
Posts: 51,768

07-23-2015, 12:34 PM	#37
Hog's Gone Fishin Fish are scared of me Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1710477	Would be cool if we discovered a planet populated with nothing but victorias secret type nymphos.
Posts: 40,345

07-23-2015, 01:22 PM	#38
KINGPIN CHIEFS FAN Starter Join Date: Jan 2009 Casino cash: $9905574	Maybe if we left right now on a spaceship, by the time we get to our destination the Chiefs will have another Superbowl trophy.
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07-23-2015, 01:33 PM	#44
The Franchise Most Valuable Villain Join Date: Dec 2006 Casino cash: $3115047	Well God had to have a dry run first.....obviously.
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