More than 100 'Earth-like' planets discovered in past few weeks

Kepler is the most exciting mission NASA has put forth in a while. We can now narrow down areas of space to send focused radio transmissions too opposed to wildly sending them out anywhere into the galaxy.

I don't think people really realize how much this is going to speed up multiply the chances for first contact.

Originally posted by Xcathdra

Originally posted by Quantum_Squirrel
Earth like ... or Earth sized?

the title is slightly misleading ....

EDIT: to add .. Apologies .. you used the title the article did ..



[edit on 23/7/10 by Quantum_Squirrel]

no worries... I think in this case when they refer to Earth like, they are ferring to the sizes. Scientists have already been able to detect atmospheres from the larger planets outside our solarsystem. I would assume (maybe wrong here) that they would be able to check the atmospheres of these candidate planets as well.

[edit on 23-7-2010 by Xcathdra]

They are unable to check the atmospheres of the candidate planets. Kepler works by watching a selected sun and monitoring it for extremely small shadows, those small shadows could possibly be earth sized planets, which increases the chances of it being a rocky planet, which increases the chances of it being a life bearing planet. Bigger planets such as gas giants are detected by creating a wobbling effect on the sun they orbit. The gravitational fields pull on each other causing the sun to slightly wobble, and by detecting a wobbling star indicates large, most likely a gas giant.

reply to post by Compass_Call


Thank you for calrifying how that works. I am really curious if this info will lead to a more "targeted" search of nearby stars. I have always wondered why we look at stuff a thousand light years out instead of looking at say Alpha/Proxima Centauri (about 4 light years from Earth).

Never seemd to make sense to look at stuff far away and ignore the closer stars.

reply to post by Compass_Call


Thank you for calrifying how that works. I am really curious if this info will lead to a more "targeted" search of nearby stars. I have always wondered why we look at stuff a thousand light years out instead of looking at say Alpha/Proxima Centauri (about 4 light years from Earth).

Never seemd to make sense to look at stuff far away and ignore the closer stars.

reply to post by Compass_Call


Thank you for calrifying how that works. I am really curious if this info will lead to a more "targeted" search of nearby stars. I have always wondered why we look at stuff a thousand light years out instead of looking at say Alpha/Proxima Centauri (about 4 light years from Earth).

Never seemd to make sense to look at stuff far away and ignore the closer stars.

reply to post by Xcathdra

I have always wondered why we look at stuff a thousand light years out instead of looking at say Alpha/Proxima Centauri (about 4 light years from Earth).

close stars are too bright for kepler and the "wobble" method isnt sensitive enough yet from earth based telescopes to detect small planets. But were getting closer. So far no planets have been detected in the alpha centauri system. Theres definitley no gas giants or super earths. Small earth size planets are possible alpha centauri B looks a better bet but im preparing for the worst & hoping for the best on that one.

if the kepler results go well a space based occulter , coronograph or null interferometer will be able to look at nearby stars ( within 60ly). Kepler will tell us if its worth building these instruments or not.


[edit on 30-7-2010 by yeti101]