Planet Hunters Report Record-Breaking Discovery, Search for other habitable planets

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Profile William Rothamel
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Message 1803382 - Posted: 19 Jul 2016, 1:17:10 UTC - in response to Message 1803331.  

So I presume we cannot see the planets well enough to see what is in their atmospheres. What can we hear with our current capabilities at microwave frequencies.
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Message 1803423 - Posted: 19 Jul 2016, 5:46:46 UTC - in response to Message 1803382.  

Let alone trying to reach these Gas giants.
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Message 1803475 - Posted: 19 Jul 2016, 10:13:34 UTC - in response to Message 1803423.  
Last modified: 19 Jul 2016, 10:15:37 UTC

Yes,

I think that we all presume that most (or many) stars have planets. So we don't need to hear that we have found a few dozen or more out of the likely trillion or so in the Galaxy. What we need is a catalog by type of combinations of the essential elements and parameters for the creation of intelligent life.

At the present time, so far as I know, we don't even have a list of these elements that are required. This in spite of the fact of having "astro Biologists" on the payroll somewhere. Also, we are not able to vett these planets since we can't directly look at them .

This begs the question--at the current time is this a worthwhile activity as it pertains to the holy grail of SETI --finding intelligent life.

Sorry for the "Bah Humbug" I am trying to be thought provoking and trying something to revive a somewhat moribund thread topic.,
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Message 1803818 - Posted: 20 Jul 2016, 22:20:01 UTC - in response to Message 1803475.  

William, NASA has some answers for you in the short form.

NASA’s Hubble Telescope Makes First Atmospheric Study of Earth-Sized Exoplanets

Using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have conducted the first search for atmospheres around temperate, Earth-sized planets beyond our solar system and found indications that increase the chances of habitability on two exoplanets.

Specifically, they discovered that the exoplanets TRAPPIST-1b and TRAPPIST-1c, approximately 40 light-years away, are unlikely to have puffy, hydrogen-dominated atmospheres usually found on gaseous worlds.

“The lack of a smothering hydrogen-helium envelope increases the chances for habitability on these planets,” said team member Nikole Lewis of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore. “If they had a significant hydrogen-helium envelope, there is no chance that either one of them could potentially support life because the dense atmosphere would act like a greenhouse.”

http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-hubble-telescope-makes-first-atmospheric-study-of-earth-sized-exoplanets
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Profile William Rothamel
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Message 1803837 - Posted: 21 Jul 2016, 0:25:57 UTC - in response to Message 1803818.  

That appears to be a supposition, not an observation. Why haven't we selected some planets for discovery and observation in The Alpha Centuri region. almost next door at 4 light years away
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Message 1803844 - Posted: 21 Jul 2016, 2:19:50 UTC - in response to Message 1803475.  
Last modified: 21 Jul 2016, 2:20:09 UTC

William as you know finding any life would be a big step towards proving SETI is possible.
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Message 1809159 - Posted: 14 Aug 2016, 22:19:19 UTC - in response to Message 1803844.  

Exciting.

Earth-Like Planet Around Proxima Centauri Discovered


The hunt for exoplanets has been heating up in recent years. Since it began its mission in 2009, over four thousand exoplanet candidates have been discovered by the Kepler mission, several hundred of which have been confirmed to be “Earth-like” (i.e. terrestrial). And of these, some 216 planets have been shown to be both terrestrial and located within their parent star’s habitable zone (aka. “Goldilocks zone”).

But in what may prove to be the most exciting find to date, the German weekly Der Spiegel announced recently that astronomers have discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, just 4.25 light-years away. Yes, in what is an apparent trifecta, this newly-discovered exoplanet is Earth-like, orbits within it’s sun’s habitable zone, and is within our reach. But is this too good to be true?

http://www.universetoday.com/130276/earth-like-planet-around-proxima-centauri-discovered/
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Message 1809170 - Posted: 14 Aug 2016, 23:13:03 UTC - in response to Message 1803844.  
Last modified: 14 Aug 2016, 23:13:25 UTC

The search is always possible --let's hope that it is being conducted correctly and efficiently.
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Message 1809173 - Posted: 14 Aug 2016, 23:16:08 UTC - in response to Message 1809159.  
Last modified: 14 Aug 2016, 23:18:42 UTC

several hundred of which have been confirmed to be “Earth-like” (


Point of order: to my knowledge not one of them has been correctly identified as earth like. There is more to "Earth-Like" than a rocky planet in the habitable zone. i am not sure that we have any of these which display these two of perhaps 2 dozen parameters to be Earth-like.

They are out there but we haven't found them yet and we may never will. Lets keep looking however.
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Message 1809546 - Posted: 16 Aug 2016, 4:44:03 UTC
Last modified: 16 Aug 2016, 5:33:55 UTC

Or the fact that our atmosphere is some 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% are other elements, including hydrogen.

Is nitrogen supposed to kill or suffocate, or is hydrogen perhaps better when it comes to doing such a thing?

Still we are able to survive.
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Message 1811339 - Posted: 22 Aug 2016, 13:31:15 UTC - in response to Message 1809546.  

Or the fact that our atmosphere is some 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% are other elements, including hydrogen.

Is nitrogen supposed to kill or suffocate, or is hydrogen perhaps better when it comes to doing such a thing?

Still we are able to survive.

Hydrogen is definitely better! Believe it... ;)

Let's just say I wouldn't send a oxygen tank into Jupiter... :D :P


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Message 1811867 - Posted: 23 Aug 2016, 14:32:44 UTC

The European Space Organization ( ESO ) will hold a press conference tomorrow, Wednesday, August 24th at 1 p.m. Central European Time ( Noon GMT/UT, 7 a.m. EDT, 4 a.m. PDT ). It is expected that they will reveal the information about the discovery of an Earth-like planet in orbit of the very nearby star, Proxima Centauri.
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Message 1812234 - Posted: 24 Aug 2016, 17:52:59 UTC

The European Southern Observatory reveals that a rocky planet of about 1.3 Earth masses orbits the nearest star, Proxima Centauri. It appears that the planet orbits the star in about 11 days. Considering the small amount of light given off by this red dwarf star, this places the planet in the habitable zone, where water could be liquid at it surface, assuming it has an atmosphere.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/earth-mass-planet-proxima-centauri-habitable-space-science/
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Message 1812256 - Posted: 24 Aug 2016, 19:11:53 UTC - in response to Message 1812234.  
Last modified: 24 Aug 2016, 19:17:12 UTC

The European Southern Observatory reveals that a rocky planet of about 1.3 Earth masses orbits the nearest star, Proxima Centauri. It appears that the planet orbits the star in about 11 days. Considering the small amount of light given off by this red dwarf star, this places the planet in the habitable zone, where water could be liquid at it surface, assuming it has an atmosphere.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/earth-mass-planet-proxima-centauri-habitable-space-science/


So exciting!! Here's another article:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/aug/24/earth-like-planet-found-orbiting-our-suns-nearest-star-raises-hopes-for-life-proxima-b

Belgian radio said the temperatures on the planet are the same as on earth, however, this is what I read in the article:

The research reveals that if the planet’s temperature were down to its sun alone, its surface would be, on average, a chilly -40C. “It seems cold, but then if you look at the same numbers for Earth you would get minus 20, minus 30C,” says Anglada-Escudé. “What keeps Earth warm is basically that it has an atmosphere and an ocean,” he adds, pointing out that should the newly discovered world also boast an atmosphere, its temperature would likewise be higher.


They don't know yet whether the planet harbors an atmosphere. It would be able to sustain life, if it did.
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Message 1812309 - Posted: 24 Aug 2016, 22:06:28 UTC

Yet another article, rather long, but quite good:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-earth-next-door/
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Message 1812405 - Posted: 25 Aug 2016, 5:52:20 UTC

On those distances we can detect & analyse atmosphere as a planet comes to shade the star...so we just have to wait a little longer for scientists to find sthg... ;)


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Message 1812513 - Posted: 25 Aug 2016, 15:52:07 UTC - in response to Message 1812405.  

Have there been any SETI@HOME or other radio telescope observations/analysis of Proxima Centauri b?
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Message 1812517 - Posted: 25 Aug 2016, 15:59:25 UTC - in response to Message 1812513.  

If it was sighted by ESO in Chile it must be visible in the Southern Hemisphere. So maybe Parkes or another Australian radio telescope could receive any signal.
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Message 1812809 - Posted: 26 Aug 2016, 18:37:32 UTC

The article linked below has Dr. Seth Shostak saying that 'SETI', presumably the SETI Institute, has monitored Proxima Centauri briefly in the past. He also thinks that further monitoring will happen soon, on the strength of their being a potentially habitable planet there.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-happens-if-et-phones-us/
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Message 1818504 - Posted: 20 Sep 2016, 22:51:03 UTC - in response to Message 1812809.  

WOW!

First-Ever Binary Alien Planets Possibly Found

Astronomers may have found the first binary planets ever observed beyond our solar system.

The two objects straddle the dividing line between gas giants and odd "failed stars" known as brown dwarfs in terms of mass, researchers said. The newfound bodies are also similar to each other in size and age.

http://www.space.com/34121-first-ever-binary-alien-planets.html
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Message boards : SETI@home Science : Planet Hunters Report Record-Breaking Discovery, Search for other habitable planets


 
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