Astronomers Find Batch Of 'Super-Earths'

[Kor37 9]

Astronomers Find Batch of 'Super-Earths'

Reuters

Posted: 2008-06-16 16:36:59

Filed Under: Science News

WASHINGTON (June 16) - European researchers said on Monday they discovered a batch of three "super-Earths" orbiting a nearby star, and two other solar systems with small planets as well.

 

 

They said their findings, presented at a conference in France, suggest that Earth-like planets may be very common.

 

"Does every single star harbor planets and, if yes, how many?" asked Michel Mayor of Switzerland's Geneva Observatory. "We may not yet know the answer but we are making huge progress towards it," Mayor said in a statement.

 

The trio of planets orbit a star slightly less massive than our Sun, 42 light-years away towards the southern Doradus and Pictor constellations. A light-year is the distance light can travel in one year at a speed of 186,000 miles a second, or about 6 trillion miles.

 

The planets are bigger than Earth -- one is 4.2 times the mass, one is 6.7 times and the third is 9.4 times.

 

They orbit their star at extremely rapid speeds -- one whizzing around in just four days, compared with Earth's 365 days, one taking 10 days and the slowest taking 20 days.

WOW!!..........

[rob39874 0]

The real questuion is can these harbour lifeforms or do they hold life

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

I believe the only things scientists can determine at this distance is whether they are gas planets or solid, approximate size / mass, and whether they fall into the "water belt" where they are likely to have liquid water if they have water at all.