Kepler 22-b: Earth-like planet confirmed

[hue]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16040655

Astronomers have confirmed the existence of an Earth-like planet in the "habitable zone" around a star not unlike our own.

The planet, Kepler 22-b, lies about 600 light-years away and is about 2.4 times the size of Earth, and has a temperature of about 22C.

It is the closest confirmed planet yet to one like ours - an "Earth 2.0".

However, the team does not yet know if Kepler 22-b is made mostly of rock, gas or liquid.

[Gregorian]

1. Our sun is about 4 light minutes from us.

600 light years is a hell of a long ways. It sure gives a sense of how big this "thing" is.

[pokerfan]

5. A little more than 8 minutes, actually

but your point is well taken. It's a great way to visualize the distances we are talking about.

:hi:

[Gregorian]

6. I can't even divide 500 by 60. Oh well. But yeah, it's pretty amazing.

[pokerfan]

10. Yeah, I lost the ability to do simple arithmetic

somewhere between Calculus III and Diff-Eq. Then I lost the ability to solve differential equations once I learned the Laplace Transform so I'm pretty much worthless these days. :P

I like to use light-time for even small distances. For example, a light-nanosecond is about a foot.

[Gregorian]

12. Sheepishly I admit to having had five years of advanced math.

Numberical analysis and all of that Forrier transform stuff. Infinite series were pretty interesting. Darn it, if only I could have used all of that stuff.

And the thought of the time it takes light to travel one foot is pretty neat.

[leftyohiolib]

2. i thought 9 light minutes but at 2.5x earth size, gravity might be an issue

[Confusious]

3. Depends on what it's made of

If it has an iron core at about the same ratio as ours, yes.

If it doesn't, it could be the same gravity as earth.

[pokerfan]

4. artist’s renderings

Via io9....

What would it look like on the surface of Kepler-22b, the planet that NASA today called "the most Earthlike planet yet discovered"? Science artist Ron Miller offers these visions of a planet that could be home to future human colonies.

Bathed in water, with streams of clouds covering the view of its many sister planets, Kepler-22b might be as beautiful as our home world. It's twice the size of Earth, and inhabits its star system's "goldilocks zone" where liquid water can exist and it's not too hot or cold for life as we know it.



More at link: http://io9.com/5865323/gorgeous-artists-renderings-of-newly+discovered-earth-20-planet/gallery/1

[Gregorian]

7. Finally, a place private enough for me.

I'm sorry, but I'm envisioning a real estate sale sign.

Truth is absolutely amazing. Not only how we evolved enough to even sense these far away places, but in the respect that this universe is simply outrageous.

[Confusious]

8. heh. we haven't evolved, we've advanced

I still think a majority of us are a few places on removed from the Romans, as far as ethics go.

A minority are more 'evolved' then that.

A portion are no better.

When we all agree that the poor, sick, elderly and young should get the best chance at life, no questions asked, then I think we will have evolved.

[Gregorian]

11. True.

Advancement is just what it is.

I remember taking astronomy in my first year of college. I was amazed at the simplicity of the means by which the most important discoveries were made. It seems that it's all a matter of consciousness. Observation and perception. What Kepler saw was so brilliant.

[Confusious]

9. dup nt

[pokerfan]

14. allow me to build you a house

[Gregorian]

16. Cool! Just what I like.

Actually, the house I have designed, but didn't build on my present property isn't too far removed from that concept.

Yay!

[Ganja Ninja]

15. A good question is does it have a moon?

Perhaps if it has a large moon then the size might be overestimated.

It's too bad we don't have a way of going there for a closer look.

[DetlefK]

13. 22°C sounds nice: Earth has an average temperature of 15°C.

Depending on the amount of water, Kepler 22-b could be a jungle- or a desert-planet (SF-wise).

And: If Kepler 22-b has the same density as earth, but 2.4 times the radius, then you weigh 2.4 times as much on the surface of Kepler 22-b compared to earth.