Another Earth in Space?
NewtonKid
our Solar System to date, a world which could have water running on
its surface.
The planet orbits the faint star Gliese 581, which is 20.5 light-years
away in the constellation Libra. Scientists made the discovery using
the Eso 3.6m telescope in Chile. Why Chile? Because the sky is much
clean and the moutains are high!?
They say the benign temperatures on the planet mean any water there
could exist in liquid form, and the raises the chances it could also
harbour life.
"We have estimated that the mean temperature of this 'super-
Earth' (with a radius only 50% larger than the Earth) lies between 0
and 40 degrees Celsius, and water would thus be liquid," explained
Stephane Udry of the Geneva Observatory, lead author of the scientific
paper reporting the result.
"Moreover, its radius should be only 1.5 times the Earth's radius, and
models predict that the planet should be either rocky - like our Earth
- or covered with oceans."
Xavier Delfosse, a member of the team from Grenoble University, added:
"Liquid water is critical to life as we know it."
He believes the planet may now become a very important target for
future space missions dedicated to the search for extra-terrestrial
life.
These missions will put telescopes in space that can discern the tell-
tale light "signatures" that might be associated with biological
processes.
The observatories would seek to identify trace atmospheric gases such
as methane, and even markers for chlorophyll, the pigment in Earth
plants that plays a critical role in photosynthesis.
For more info, please visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6589157.stm