News from NASA - A Meeting of Minds

***Hans*** · Feb 2 2011, 04:13 PM

This caught my eye (posted one hour ago, Feb 2, 2011)

The U.S. space agency NASA has made a groundbreaking discovery in the search for alien life, with the finding of more than 54 potential life-supporting planets.
NASA officials released four months of data Wednesday from the Kepler planet-finding telescope. In a discovery scientists are calling “amazing,” the telescope found 1,200 new possible planets, and hundreds of new multi-planet systems.
Chief scientist William Borucki says planets are considered inhabitable if they are not too hot or cold and could have liquid water. He said the discovery of life-supporting planets marks great progress for the Kepler mission.
The findings of the telescope could triple the number of known planets, but scientists said confirming whether the masses are actual planets could take years. The data found more planets the size of Earth or smaller — rather than giant planets like Jupiter.
Another major, yet unexpected, find, includes a six-planet solar system located about 2,000 light-years away from Earth. Its the biggest solar system ever found, topping a previous Kepler discovery of a 3-planet system.
Kepler was launched into space in 2009 to find planets that could support life. The telescope is pointed at an area of more than 150,000 stars in a part of the Milky Way galaxy.
Jonathan Fortney, an assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, told VOA the findings are “exciting” because researchers did not really know what to expect the telescope to find.
Kepler tracks potential new planets near the Cygnus constellation by watching for the dimming of sun-like stars, which indicates an object is passing by.

GinnyStar · Feb 2 2011, 10:38 PM

Cool, thanks for sharing this Hans!
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...2sixnewplanets
Here is some more from the © 1996-2011 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.
With some images, and addition information if anyone want to take a look.http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...h778qp&h=c7e8b via Facebook

Sandi · Feb 3 2011, 10:19 PM

The PBS news show finally got round to mentioning this today. I had to laugh because the person talking about it was called Miles O'Brian. (Trekkers will get it.)

Samsara · Feb 4 2011, 05:42 AM

Wow! Sounds pretty cool. I love to hear about this kind of stuff. There is soo much we just dont know about whats out there!

Feb 2 2011, 04:13 PM	#1
*Hans* Master Archivist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The Netherlands Gender: M Fan of: Pern!	News from NASA This caught my eye (posted one hour ago, Feb 2, 2011) The U.S. space agency NASA has made a groundbreaking discovery in the search for alien life, with the finding of more than 54 potential life-supporting planets. NASA officials released four months of data Wednesday from the Kepler planet-finding telescope. In a discovery scientists are calling “amazing,” the telescope found 1,200 new possible planets, and hundreds of new multi-planet systems. Chief scientist William Borucki says planets are considered inhabitable if they are not too hot or cold and could have liquid water. He said the discovery of life-supporting planets marks great progress for the Kepler mission. The findings of the telescope could triple the number of known planets, but scientists said confirming whether the masses are actual planets could take years. The data found more planets the size of Earth or smaller — rather than giant planets like Jupiter. Another major, yet unexpected, find, includes a six-planet solar system located about 2,000 light-years away from Earth. Its the biggest solar system ever found, topping a previous Kepler discovery of a 3-planet system. Kepler was launched into space in 2009 to find planets that could support life. The telescope is pointed at an area of more than 150,000 stars in a part of the Milky Way galaxy. Jonathan Fortney, an assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, told VOA the findings are “exciting” because researchers did not really know what to expect the telescope to find. Kepler tracks potential new planets near the Cygnus constellation by watching for the dimming of sun-like stars, which indicates an object is passing by. __________________ Hans, also known as Elrhan, Master Archivist Visit The Pern Museum & Archives for all your Pern and Anne McCaffrey News and Resources! The Pern Museum & Archives is the home of the Pern Encyclopedia and the Pern Bloodlines.

Feb 2 2011, 10:38 PM	#2
GinnyStar Dolphineer Craftmaster Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Wausau, WI USA, Central Standard Time Gender: F Fan of: Pern, other SF works Now Reading: Dragonback Bargain	Re: News from NASA Cool, thanks for sharing this Hans! http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...2sixnewplanets Here is some more from the © 1996-2011 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved. With some images, and addition information if anyone want to take a look.http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...h778qp&h=c7e8b via Facebook __________________ Lover s s, s and friends Lover of and beads, http://www.change.org/profiles/GinnyStar Dragoncave GinnyStar2 Jellied Dragons Lair of Dragons http://dragcave.net/user/GinnyStar2 Thanks! Others: None at this time WIP http://archiveofourown.org/works/252259 http://www.daisy.org/learning-difficulties Last edited by GinnyStar; Feb 2 2011 at 11:12 PM. Reason: Add on Link from NGeo

Feb 3 2011, 10:19 PM	#3
Sandi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Gender: F	Re: News from NASA The PBS news show finally got round to mentioning this today. I had to laugh because the person talking about it was called Miles O'Brian. (Trekkers will get it.)

Feb 4 2011, 05:42 AM	#4
Samsara Dragon Healer Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Perth, Australia Gender: F Fan of: PERN!!! Now Reading: Restoree	Re: News from NASA Wow! Sounds pretty cool. I love to hear about this kind of stuff. There is soo much we just dont know about whats out there!

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