'Second Earth' found, 20 light years away

[method77]

The Earth-like Gliese 581C circles a star in the constellation of Libra that is cooler than our sun. Photograph: European Southern Observatory/AP

Scientists have discovered a warm and rocky "second Earth" circling a star, a find they believe dramatically boosts the prospects that we are not alone.

The planet is the most Earth-like ever spotted and is thought to have perfect conditions for water, an essential ingredient for life. Researchers detected the planet orbiting one of Earth's nearest stars, a cool red dwarf called Gliese 581, 20 light years away in the constellation of Libra.

Measurements of the planet's celestial path suggest it is 1½ times the size of our home planet, and orbits close to its sun, with a year of just 13 days. The planet's orbit brings it 14 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun. But Gliese 581 burns at only 3,000C, half the temperature of our own sun, making conditions on the planet comfortable for life, with average ground temperatures estimated at 0 to 40C. Researchers claim the planet is likely to have an atmosphere. The discovery follows a three-year search for habitable planets by the European Southern Observatory at La Silla in Chile.

more...

[Umma]

Hmm... I wonder do they have "global warming". :rolleyes:

[DudeAsInCool]

Interesting.

[method77]

I'm going there to claim land

[DudeAsInCool]

I'm going there to claim land

Gotta be better than this Earth joint

[method77]

fuck Earth. Go Gliese 581

[DudeAsInCool]

fuck Earth. Go Gliese 581

Here it is!

[NelsonG]

20 light years away? wow. Imagine how much thats gonna cost at $88/barrel oil.

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

Who's to say that if there is life there, they are way ahead of us? They may have spotted us light years ago and are halfway here to visit/destroy us.

[DudeAsInCool]

Who's to say that if there is life there, they are way ahead of us? They may have spotted us light years ago and are halfway here to visit/destroy us.

Who's to say they havent taken over the White House already?

[Shawn]

I bet we could fuck that planet up faster than we could reach it.

Who's to say that if there is life there, they are way ahead of us? They may have spotted us light years ago and are halfway here to visit/destroy us.

Jeez man, read your bible.

[betty]

Hmm... I wonder do they have "global warming". :rolleyes:

I think it's prepare for abandoning the earth. Though it hasn't "global warming" now, human will give it.

[DudeAsInCool]

Welcome to Beatking, Betty :)

[Potato]

That's kinda cool. Really.

[bmc]

time for my new custom title.

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

Wow, talk about a time-share.

[CTC Command]

There's only one correct response to this news.

Twin Earth, baby!

[CTC Command]

Well then. Not the post I had intended. [ youtube ] broke?

edit--nope--just a new trick to it. Nothing to see here, move along, move along.

Edited October 18, 2007 by CTC Command

[CTC Command]

ok maybe this time...

There's only one correct response to this news.

Twin Earth, baby!

Edited October 18, 2007 by CTC Command

[NelsonG]

***TEST***

Code:

[youtube]wUkXFWtMv9A[/youtube]

In action:

[CTC Command]

I wonder if the Gliese CTC had this much trouble when he posted "Twin Gliese 581" onto the Gliese 581 BeatKing web forum, in response to discovering us.