'Super-Earth' exoplanet spotted 42 light-years away

The newly discovered planet has a mass of 7 to 8 times that of Earth. If a solid body, its diameter is inferred to be about twice that of Earth. Because of the way gravity falls off with distance from the center of a mass (as the inverse square of the distance) the gravity on such a world would be about 1.75 to 2.0 times that of Earth. Someone weighing 170 pounds on Earth would weigh about 298 to 340 pounds. Not such difficult conditions as it might at first seem.

reply to post by Ross 54


Well perhaps, but I know the difference a weight Loss of 30lbs make and its pretty impressive as far as improved mobility.

The thought of 2X my weight Frightens me a great deal due to a current lower back disk condition.
Do you think we would be forced to adapt?
I'm thinking in terms of scoooter filled traffic jams..

Thnx for the post

tom

From our point of view, the increase in weight would be very challenging. I was thinking more of life native to this planet, and how it would adapt. Something able to stand upright and free its forelimbs for use as manipulators, and eventually tool using and tool making appendages still seems reasonable on a world with twice our gravity. If the gravity were, instead, 7 times that of Earth, this would seem less likely.

reply to post by wutz4tom


Is it just me or are these EXOplanets getting closer?

reply to post by maryhinge


Its not accurate to say that objects are getting closer. The reality is that as we pan across the sky with the various searches being undertaken by professional astronomers and university , we will find objects at various distances from our own planet.

The truth is, that the recent discoveries being made, may well be closer than those that have been made before, but this is not a trend, as if we are reversing along a cosmic stairway, back toward our own solar system. Its a coincidence .

The next one could be hundreds of times as far away.