Astronomers find new planet capable of supporting life (discovered - "holy grail" -Gliese 667Cc)

Astronomers find new planet capable of supporting life - Astronomers have discovered their "holy grail" - a planet capable of supporting life outside our solar system.

The planet lies in what they describe as a 'habitable zone', neither too near its sun to dry out or too far away which freezes it.


And the discovery could help answer the question of whether we are alone in the universe, which has been plagued astronomers and alien fanatics for years.


Scientists found the planet, Gliese 667Cc, orbiting around a red dwarf star, 22 light years away from the earth.


Red dwarf stars are the most common stars in the neighbourhood of the sun, usually hosting planets called gas giants, which are not composed of rock matter.


Re-analysing data from the European Southern Observatory, the astronomers found Gliese 667Cc is a solid planet with roughly four and a half times the mass of Earth.

ETA -
Additional Info / thread courtesy of elevenaugust - From 02/20/2012
Life on Gliese 667Cc: is it really possible?
Current Potential Habitable Worlds - Update February 2012
Planetary Habitability Laboratory

Not really earth shattering in terms of news. Gliese has been in the news for some years now. In this case Astronomers have been able to confirm that Gliese 667Cc is in fact in the habitable zone of the star it orbits.

Now we just need SETI to look at it and see if we pick anything up..

Some more confirmed facts -

Re-analysing data from the European Southern Observatory, the astronomers found Gliese 667Cc is a solid planet with roughly four and a half times the mass of Earth.


The University Göttingen and University of California scientists have calculated the planet recieves ten per cent less light from its red dwarf star than the Earth gets from the Sun.

As the light is in the infrared area, the planet still receives nearly the same amount of energy as the Earth, meaning water could be liquid and surface temperatures could be similar to ours.

reply to post by Xcathdra


Holy S**T, I'm on my way there. If i could hope on a beam of light, I would be there by the time im able to retire

Thanks for sharing that.
Just a short 22 ly away.
If it is true that it could support life,I wonder what kind of life could spring up from such an environment.

First wed have to know whats there in terms of gravity in which case the planet would have to have a low density. Then we'd need to know the soil conditions and if it can support life. to do this we'd need a way to get on the planets surface and to do that we'd have to develop technology 500 times more advanced then what we have now so dont get too excited. so unless someone has a alien space craft lying around that has the remotest posibility of reverse engineering no human being will be stepping on that planets surface any time soon.

Good thread, S&F

FYI I've created a thread two months ago called "Life on Gliese 667Cc: is it really possible?" where I showed that, yes, life is possible on this new planet.
Please take a look!

reply to post by elevenaugust


Nice threads...

I added the links to the OP for reference / questions / answers on the ins and outs.

Now if we can only master the bending of space. Otherwise, Its gonna be one hell of a time getting there to start a new world

Originally posted by blackmetalmist
Now if we can only master the bending of space. Otherwise, Its gonna be one hell of a time getting there to start a new world

Still... part of me is willing to jump on an expedition and die in transit attempting to reach Gliese 67Cc than continue to sit on this planet wishing ET would show up.

At the very least I would get to see deep space...

reply to post by Xcathdra


Wouldn't it be something else that this planet is actually "heaven"? I know it sounds far fetched, but imagine us landing and seeing everyone that has ever died inhabiting this planet. That would really be something else. Deep inside I hope that when we die, we end up somehow in another world. Our next transition in space.

but if life is possible as you say. how do we know our plants will grow in that soil

reply to post by Xcathdra



I find it kind of interesting the amount of hype this story is seeing just now. Not exactly sure how there could be more to this story than they are letting on but it makes one wonder. I suppose it must still be a shock to some that our lovely livable Earth is not alone.

Originally posted by blackmetalmist
reply to post by Xcathdra

 

Wouldn't it be something else that this planet is actually "heaven"? I know it sounds far fetched, but imagine us landing and seeing everyone that has ever died inhabiting this planet. That would really be something else. Deep inside I hope that when we die, we end up somehow in another world. Our next transition in space.

I've always considered that weird possibility. I have always wondered if Earth was "purgatory" and our actions during that time determined our destination afterwards.

Either or... religion... ET...

Just the chance to travel into space is something ive always wanted to do.

Originally posted by iforget
reply to post by Xcathdra

 

I find it kind of interesting the amount of hype this story is seeing just now. Not exactly sure how there could be more to this story than they are letting on but it makes one wonder. I suppose it must still be a shock to some that our lovely livable Earth is not alone.

I think it has more to do with actual confirmation and not just the speculation NASA gave. They were not completely sure about the planets or their locations around Gliese. This is also the same area where they supposedly had an ET signal. Ive heard that was debunked, that it came from somewhere else etc etc.. Not really sure what to make of the signal info but the confirmation of the planets location and the release of further detailed info about its conditions are exciting, at least to me.

It lends to the theory that the Universe might be teaming with life.

So is this the mystery planet seen from Antartica, or is that a different planet?

Originally posted by Blargcakes
So is this the mystery planet seen from Antartica, or is that a different planet?

I thought that was Niburu?