Earth-sized planet found orbiting Alpha Centauri B

[NovaSilisko]

Well, I didn't expect this today... Edited October 17, 2012 by NovaSilisko

[Thobewill10]

It's so amazing. Where there's one rocky planet, there's bound to be more.

[9911MU51C]

very interesting

[Rage Baneblade]

Neat! This discovery might help pave the way to finding Earth-like planets around Earth-like stars.

Also, am I the only one who had no idea that Proxima Centauri is actually part of the Alpha Centauri system? (Yes, Proxima does orbit very far around Alpha A and

[geb]

The best place to go for exoplanet news is the Systemic blog, and they don't disappoint for this story.

http://oklo.org/2012/10/16/alpha-centauri-b-b/

Reading that post should give everybody a good idea of why it took us so long to spot this planet. It's not easy work.

[Matokage]

it's Moho, so close to the main star

[mnnm1234]

Oh God PANDORA?

[Borklund]

Oh God PANDORA?

Strictly speaking no - Pandora was a moon of a gas giant. And while we have yet to discover an extrasolar moon, if you're looking for Pandora I would like to point you to Kepler-47, which has a gas giant in the habitable zone, and could potentially be host to a moon with an atmosphere, liquid water, aliens and what have you.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Borklund

[kevinlacht]

Well I think we found the first exoplanet we will visit on our first interplannetairie flight (I'm talking about humans btw, not kerbals ).

[rdfox]

Ladies and gentlemen, we now have a compelling case for pushing development of the ion drive.

A confirmed planetary system close enough that, even factoring in R&D times, we could send an unmanned probe to map and get useful data back from *within our lifetimes*, without any bleeding-edge physics!

[Tauge]

Maybe not within OUR lifetimes, but within a lifetime...possible...

[Resender]

Anyone remember this

[darkwolfpaw54]

only thing is wait a min...

do we age slower on earth or space

or faster on earth or space

THAT MEANS.....

epic FTL drive unmanned test YES!

[SpaceSphere]

Ladies and gentlemen, we now have a compelling case for pushing development of the ion drive.

A confirmed planetary system close enough that, even factoring in R&D times, we could send an unmanned probe to map and get useful data back from *within our lifetimes*, without any bleeding-edge physics!

Um, don't we already use ion drives all the time? If you mean something like VASMIR, I think that's more useful for interplanetary missions than interstellar ones, to get to this planet within our lifetimes I would think we would need some kind of antimatter-nuclear engine. Unless you're talking about a different kind of ion drive than those I'm familiar with.

[LaydeeDem]

only thing is wait a min...

do we age slower on earth or space

or faster on earth or space

THAT MEANS.....

epic FTL drive unmanned test YES!

Too bad special relativity would get in the way. It takes and infinite amount of energy to go the speed of light.

[TheProdigy]

Too bad special relativity would get in the way. It takes and infinite amount of energy to go the speed of light.

...I thought FTL meant moving space around a bubble. So therotically your not going faster than light, your pretty much not moving AT ALL. Just moving the space around you to get to your destination.

However, light speed using chemicals or other sorts, would probably apply to what you just said.

[ddavis425]

...I thought FTL meant moving space around a bubble. So therotically your not going faster than light, your pretty much not moving AT ALL.

Well it's not FTL if you aren't going faster than light, that's what FTL means

[Russian Flame]

this means another home

[rb22]

nice APOD! 'A View from Next Door' 2012 October 18

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Edited October 18, 2012 by rb22

[Warshawski]

Well it's not FTL if you aren't going faster than light, that's what FTL means

If you're effectively going faster, then yes, it is FTL

[Martonaut]

Anyone remember this

oh man, he knows the humanity, they go to an alien planet to fight each other!? :/

Edited October 19, 2012 by Martonaut
forgot the quote :P

[zpox357]

Well there is this thingy-ma-bob. Dont get exited, I for one am highly skeptical, but you never know

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49064028/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/scientists-say-warp-drive-may-be-more-feasible-thought/