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IT’S NOT QUITE got the most homely name yet, but Nasa has found probably the most Earth-like planet yet.
Not only is Kepler-452b smack bang in the ’Goldilocks zone’, making it the right distance from its star for liquid water to be present on the surface, but its own star is very similar to our own.
Kepler-452b orbits its star every 385 days, not too dissimilar to ourselves. Similarly, its star is a a G2-type star, just like our sun, with nearly the same temperature and mass.
This star is 6 billion years old, 1.5 billion years older than our sun. Indeed, plenty of time for life to have developed on Kepler-452b.
But for a planet to be a true ‘Earth-like’ planet, it must also have several other characteristics. It must also have a similar gravity to Earth, and Kepler-452b might just hit that nail on the head too.
Gravity is largely dependent on size and Nasa say that the Kepler-452b is just 60% larger in diameter than Earth, meaning that it’s considered a super-Earth-size planet.
In fact, it’s the smallest planet to date discovered orbiting in the habitable zone.
It was found by Nasa’s Kepler Telescope. Kepler’s mission is to look for distant planets that are just like are our own, leaving scientists back down here to decide if they could support life.
Kepler is particularly looking for planets that are between half the size of ourselves to twice the size, so this latest discovery fits right into that bracket.
While its mass and composition are not yet determined, previous research suggests that planets the size of Kepler-452b have a good chance of being rocky.
Some other planets found in the ’Goldilocks zone’ are made completely of gas.
“We can think of Kepler-452b as an older, bigger cousin to Earth, providing an opportunity to understand and reflect upon Earth’s evolving environment,” said Jon Jenkins, a researcher on Nasa’s Kepler team.
It’s awe-inspiring to consider that this planet has spent 6 billion years in the habitable zone of its star; longer than Earth. That’s substantial opportunity for life to arise, should all the necessary ingredients and conditions for life exist on this planet.
Unfortunately, we won’t be sending out any advance parties to our newest cousin any time soon. The Kepler-452 system is located 1,400 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus.
While Kepler-452b is the exoplanet that’s rightly making all the headlines today, it’s actually just one of 11 exoplanets that Nasa have announced finding today.
Planets outside our own Solar System are known as extra-solar planets, or exoplanets.
John Grunsfeld of Nasa’s Washington HQ notes that today’s discovery comes 20 years after it was first proved that other suns host planets.
“This exciting result brings us one step closer to finding an Earth 2.0,” he says.
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The cheek of him.How can the DUP even begin to lecture everybody else when they wont turn up at Stormont.Get back to work Geoffrey and get used to powersharing.
There was a time when the DUP and their ilk owned the Police. It only needed a quiet word and they would do their dirty work for them. Times have moved on. Although Jeffrey would wish for it, they don’t have that kind of hold and control anymore.
These jokers aren’t even in government..
Equality feels like oppression to the “no surrender” mob. Very very short memories across the border.
Isn’t it ironic that the party that should be doing most to make NI work are the party that are showing how much of a failure it actually is. If only they could make nationalists feel welcome. But alas, it’s in their DNA to be supremacists.
@Anthony Curran: thankfully they don’t possess the intellect or ability to enforce that view like their ancestors . God love them .
Good old Geoffrey. Have cake and
Eat it
We refuse to honour democracy but we are of king Billy’s spawn and fearfully hate is in our dna.
He must be great then.
From the party who won’t accept democracy because they drove themselves down a blind alley in a vain attempt to reinstall a hard border on the island. They were also busy meeting with the head of the loyalist communities council (whatever that is meant to be) rather than the head of the PSNI a while back. At the root of everything is that their hegemony in NI is gone and they can’t accept that fact so lash out in all directions. It will not end well for them.
With the DUPers it’s always No.
Does anybody pay attention to the DUP anymore. Pretty sure they have no confidence in anybody.
Where was this motion served? Can this be done by a political party when parliament is closed?
Jeff needs a lifeline of some sort, so this no confidence motion will highlight the DUP for a few days
Jeffrey doesnt want to play second fiddle in stormont and now he wants the PSNI chief out,what next for him?
True to form Dr. NO, says NO NO NO way.
The fact the DUP have no confidence in him is a sure fire
Does he ever get embarrassed. He hasn’t done a days work since he was elected. He then has the Gaul to comment on someone else’s efforts.
When you get off your butt and grow up Jeff, people might take you seriously. At the moment you’re just a little winger
Séathrún Mac Dhomhnaill
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