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New solar system near by with 7 planets, three habitable.

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  • New solar system near by with 7 planets, three habitable.

    Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/02/22/nasa-announcement-live/



    Nasa astronomers discover new solar system called Trappist-1 where life may have evolved on three out of seven of its planets

    Henry Bodkin
    22 FEBRUARY 2017 • 10:10PM
    Life may have evolved on at least three planets within a newly discovered solar system that is 39 light years from Earth, it was announced last night.

    Astronomers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) have detected no less than seven roughly Earth-sized worlds orbiting a dwarf star in the system, it was announced today.

    Scientists had previously only identified a tiny number of so-called “exoplanets”, which are believed to have the qualities needed to support life.

    Nikole Lewis, astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, announces the discovery of seven Earth-like planets orbiting a nearby star at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC,

    However, the new system contains an unprecedented number of Earth-sized, probably rocky planets, and is being hailed as an “accelerated leap forward” in the search for extraterrestrial life.

    Three of the new planets are said to be particularly promising because they could sustain oceans. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of Nasa’s Science Mission Directorate, told a press conference in Washington: “This gives us a hint that finding a second Earth is not a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when’.”

    The planets were detected using Nasa’s Spitzer Space Telescope and several ground-based observatories. Lead researcher Michaël Gillon, of the University of Liège, said: “The planets are all close to each other and very close to the star, which is very reminiscent of the moons around Jupiter.

    “Still, the star is so small and cold that the seven planets are temperate, which means that they could have some liquid water – and maybe life, by extension – on the surface.”

    The team determined that all the planets in the system are similar in size to Earth and Venus, or slightly smaller. And density measurements suggest that at least the innermost six planets are rocky. Because the star is so dim, the planets are warmed gently despite having orbits much smaller than that of Mercury, the planet closest to our Sun.

    © Copyright Original Source

    Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
    Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
    But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

    go with the flow the river knows . . .

    Frank

    I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

  • #2
    Cool but someone looking at our solar system could think the same thing - that there are three planets that have life.

    But Venus and mars do not

    I think NASA is overly optimistic in the way they characterize their finds- there is no way to know. Yet

    Comment


    • #3
      Reminds me of when Sagan sent a signal into space despite knowing that where he sent it life would not develop.
      Earth might indeed be a privilidged planet.
      sigpic

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by TheWall View Post
        Reminds me of when Sagan sent a signal into space despite knowing that where he sent it life would not develop.
        Earth might indeed be a privilidged planet.
        The concept of a privileged unique planet in the cosmos has diminished as knowledge increases concerning the nature of solar systems develops there is an increasing chance we are not privileged nor unique considering the vastness of time and space involved. Actually many stars that supported life have existed in the distant past and have become star dust for other stars.
        Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
        Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
        But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

        go with the flow the river knows . . .

        Frank

        I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Sparko View Post
          Cool but someone looking at our solar system could think the same thing - that there are three planets that have life.

          But Venus and mars do not

          I think NASA is overly optimistic in the way they characterize their finds- there is no way to know. Yet
          Yes, by 'habitable" planets they mean planets that "could sustain oceans."
          Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by shunyadragon View Post
            . . . Actually many stars that supported life have existed in the distant past and have become star dust for other stars.
            Evidence for this? Until the third generation stars there was not enough "heavy" enough matter to build rocky planets.
            Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

            Comment


            • #7
              I mean our moon is the pergect size, we have enough oxygen to breath but not to much that it is dangerous, plenty of hydrogen and nitrogen for plants, the complex andwonderful water and hydrogen cycles. We have enough land and water to lubricate tectonic plates and help manage ecosystems and temperature across the globe. Really we do something that should not be we thrive in a universe that a small change in constants means death by stars burning out.
              sigpic

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Jedidiah View Post
                Yes, by 'habitable" planets they mean planets that "could sustain oceans."
                ...and with generous fudge factors built in at that. Oceans are a prerequisite, but hardly the only one necessary for sustaining, let alone starting, life.
                Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                sigpic
                I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

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                • #9
                  Nasa astronomers discover new solar system called Trappist-1 where life may have evolved on three out of seven of its planets
                  [Pedant mode]
                  Who called it Trappist-1 before NASA discovered it, and how did NASA know?
                  [/Pedant mode]

                  Also commenting that they don't think life may have evolved there, they only think Earth-like life is possible there.
                  Last edited by Roy; 02-23-2017, 03:30 AM.
                  Jorge: Functional Complex Information is INFORMATION that is complex and functional.

                  MM: First of all, the Bible is a fixed document.
                  MM on covid-19: We're talking about an illness with a better than 99.9% rate of survival.

                  seer: I believe that so called 'compassion' [for starving Palestinian kids] maybe a cover for anti Semitism, ...

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                  • #10
                    cool-Carl-Sagan-universe-Jupiter-clouds.jpg
                    Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
                    1 Corinthians 16:13

                    "...he [Doherty] is no historian and he is not even conversant with the historical discussions of the very matters he wants to pontificate on."
                    -Ben Witherington III

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                      Cool but someone looking at our solar system could think the same thing - that there are three planets that have life.

                      But Venus and mars do not
                      It's thought there may be evidence of microbial life on Mars, given the presence of liquid water, but this is yet to be confirmed.

                      I think NASA is overly optimistic in the way they characterize their finds- there is no way to know. Yet
                      Carl Sagan speculated millions of life-bearing exoplanets in the universe. Much of it would be microbial...as it was on Earth for millions of years...but a relatively small number would probably have developed intelligent life given the sheer numbers of them and the utter vastness of the universe.
                      “He felt that his whole life was a kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.” - Douglas Adams.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Roy View Post
                        [Pedant mode]
                        Who called it Trappist-1 before NASA discovered it, and how did NASA know?
                        [/Pedant mode]

                        Also commenting that they don't think life may have evolved there, they only think Earth-like life is possible there.
                        '. . . may have evolved'='Earth-like life is possible there.'

                        The possibility of life is only possible through the natural processes of abiogenesis and evolution.
                        Last edited by shunyadragon; 02-23-2017, 05:49 AM.
                        Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
                        Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
                        But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

                        go with the flow the river knows . . .

                        Frank

                        I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Tassman View Post
                          It's thought there may be evidence of microbial life on Mars, given the presence of liquid water, but this is yet to be confirmed.



                          Carl Sagan speculated millions of life-bearing exoplanets in the universe. Much of it would be microbial...as it was on Earth for millions of years...but a relatively small number would probably have developed intelligent life given the sheer numbers of them and the utter vastness of the universe.
                          the key word is "speculated."

                          the evidence so far is that every planet and moon we have discovered so far is unique and not like any other. To me that indicates that the conditions for life might be unique also. or VERY rare. And the conditions for intelligent life is orders of magnitude rarer than that.

                          I have heard scientists say that having such a large moon is essential for life having developed on Earth, and surviving. And a strong magnetic field. and a hundred other chance parameters. so just finding a rocky planet in the Goldilocks zone probably doesnt mean anything. All of these planets are tidally locked, meaning they probably dont have a magnetic field, and no moons have been found. not to mention one side would always face the sun and be burning up while the other side would be frozen

                          It is all just guessing with no evidence whatsoever. Scientists cant even say why or how life developed here, much less elsewhere in the universe.

                          now I have nothing against extraterrestrial life existing, I just think scientists should be more realistic about it.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                            the key word is "speculated."

                            the evidence so far is that every planet and moon we have discovered so far is unique and not like any other. To me that indicates that the conditions for life might be unique also. or VERY rare. And the conditions for intelligent life is orders of magnitude rarer than that.
                            I don't think it follows that the conditions for life might be unique.
                            I have heard scientists say that having such a large moon is essential for life having developed on Earth, and surviving. And a strong magnetic field. and a hundred other chance parameters. so just finding a rocky planet in the Goldilocks zone probably doesnt mean anything. All of these planets are tidally locked, meaning they probably dont have a magnetic field, and no moons have been found. not to mention one side would always face the sun and be burning up while the other side would be frozen
                            And when the three 'habitable' planets are in the same zone as "Venus, Earth, and Mars" - two of which are not remotely habitable - that's being pretty generous.

                            I also have no issues with the possibility of extraterrestrial life (I enjoy reading science fiction), but its likelihood is rather low IMO.
                            Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                            Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                            sigpic
                            I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Roy View Post
                              [Pedant mode]
                              Who called it Trappist-1 before NASA discovered it, and how did NASA know?
                              [/Pedant mode]

                              Also commenting that they don't think life may have evolved there, they only think Earth-like life is possible there.
                              TRAPPIST is a Belgian led project that's searching nearby small stars for exoplanets. They have two small automated telescopes, one in each hemisphere (Chile and Morocco). TRAPPIST-1 is simply the first exosolar system they found. It was originally identified as having 3 planets, the most distant of which seemed to have a very odd orbit. With the new observations, they now know that one of the things they thought was a transit of that planet turned out to be the combined transit of 3 different planets. They sorted everything out using a few weeks of time on the Spitzer space telescope (which is why NASA is now involved), which identified the remaining 4 planets, bringing the system up to 7. Of course, there could still be more that are further out and haven't transited during observations yet.
                              "Any sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from trolling."

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