Nearest star has earth sized planet

[reddoss]

.....and what's more it is probably rocky and lies in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37167390

Edited August 24, 2016 by reddoss

[Stu]

Wow, that's quite a find! Makes going there something you could vaguely begin to consider in the future.

Thanks for the link

[reddoss]

I agree Stu, once confirmed optically, the race is on!!!!! This has got to be one of the most important planetary discoveries ever.

Edited August 24, 2016 by reddoss

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, reddoss said:

I agree Stu, once confirmed optically, the race is on!!!!! This has got to be one of the most important planetary discoveries ever.

I imagine that when some of these huge scopes come on line in future then seeing it optically might be feasible. I forget what the latest plans are but I'm sure a 30m scope might have a chance. I think @faulksy is making one after his 20" is finished .

[Alien 13]

Isn't this the destination of the original "lost in space" series, its funny how they knew all those years ago.

Alan

Edited August 24, 2016 by Alien 13

[Dave_D]

i'm already packing...

[faulksy]

17 minutes ago, Stu said:

I imagine that when some of these huge scopes come on line in future then seeing it optically might be feasible. I forget what the latest plans are but I'm sure a 30m scope might have a chance. I think @faulksy is making one after his 20" is finished .

wow stu, you can read me like a book

[nightfisher]

This could prove to be the big one in astro science, im sure all the big institution scopes will be spending time making studys, lets keep it all crossed the scientists make some groundbreaking discoveries

[Alien 13]

1 minute ago, nightfisher said:

This could prove to be the big one in astro science, im sure all the big institution scopes will be spending time making studys, lets keep it all crossed the scientists make some groundbreaking discoveries

I agree its distance makes it a prime candidate that could push technology forward in order to image it.

Alan

[iapa]

@Alien 13 Jupiter II and many others. A common destination going back to pre moving picture days

 

I notice people, elsewhere, are taking about it being a decade or so to get a better 'view'.

What wait? IS there not a nano spaceship project that Prof. Hawking supports? Just give it the more and they will BE there in 20 or so year (that's within my lifetime ) and we will have some visual data 5yrs later.

Other thing common is - it may support alien life? So what? Will it support OUR life? Go and look, if there's something there we work around it in the usual inimitable life respecting Homo Sapiens style - or we can do it properly. As if.

 

[Stu]

3 hours ago, faulksy said:

wow stu, you can read me like a book

I shouldn't say this, but we would probably have landed someone on the planet before the mirror has been finished

[Alien 13]

I do wonder if our view of the "Goldilocks zone" is a bit conservative for simple life, our system could have some liquid water all the way out to Pluto.

Alan

[nightfisher]

1 hour ago, reddoss said:

Proxima Centauri

Is proxima centauri any place near to Andromeda galaxy? sorry for a dumb question but not up on individual star locations

[faulksy]

3 hours ago, Stu said:

I shouldn't say this, but we would probably have landed someone on the planet before the mirror has been finished

probably started a colony as well

00 have asured me stu, it will be done for friday.

[nightfisher]

9 minutes ago, faulksy said:

probably started a colony as well

00 have asured me stu, it will be done for friday.

But did they say which Friday, good luck with it

[Alien 13]

14 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Is proxima centauri any place near to Andromeda galaxy? sorry for a dumb question but not up on individual star locations

Perhaps some nice imager could provide a picture with the "Scotty" inspired title of "here be whales".

Alan

[Stu]

26 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Is proxima centauri any place near to Andromeda galaxy? sorry for a dumb question but not up on individual star locations

Not remotely I'm afraid Jules, either from a distance or location point of view. It's a pretty unremarkable star in that it is mag 11 ish, and not visible to us Northerly latitude dwellers.

[SilverAstro]

31 minutes ago, nightfisher said:

Is proxima centauri any place near to Andromeda galaxy? sorry for a dumb question but not up on individual star locations

'centauri'  because it is in the constellation Centaurus ( it is a Latin scholar case problem that gives it the 'i' )

proxima because it is near to us

It isnt near to Andromeda, neither in the sky nor in space It may be a companion to the binary Alpha centauri (Centaurus)

Edit, ooops xxed in the post with Stu

Edited August 24, 2016 by SilverAstro

[Ouroboros]

It would be good if this planet passes in front its star so some spectroscopy of its atmosphere, if it has one, can be done. They're not sure yet whether it does transit its star. 

[SilverAstro]

Just think : if we had started out when we first suggested Generation Starships ( was it Heinlein, Azimov or me   ?) we could'av been nearly there by now ! And only 4&1/2 years to 'send' a postcard home !!

 

[DaveS]

Yep, and we're sitting on it.

[Uranium235]

If they do manage to find out the composition of the atmosphere, then there will be only one thing to do after that... go there (probably a probe travelling @ 0.2 - 0.5 LS).

[DaveS]

Check out AN July 2016 for an article on Starshot.

[Chris]

Exoplanets was an area of study I chose at Uni because it really fires my imagination, this is really very exciting news, my imagination is fired up once more!

[Dave In Vermont]

Space.com occasionally has some decent articles. I converted the last article on Proxima B to a pdf, which is free to all below:

Found! Potentially Earth-Like Planet at Proxima Centauri Is Closest Ever.pdf

If you want more articles like this, signing-up is free & easy at their website:

http://www.space.com/

Enjoy -

Dave