Scientists find "possibly habitable" distant planet

[2Xtreme21]

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/070425-habitable-planet.htm

I'd say take the page for what it's worth, but if this is indeed true, what do you think the chances of actually spending time and energy researching it further are?

Edit: CNN Link

 

[olds]

...chances of actually spending time and energy researching it further?

100%

 

[Flyback]

20.5 light-years away

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

 

[Q]

So that's where the Andelites live!

 

[Agentbolt]

I'd genuinely be excited about this if the site wasn't clearly put together by a Ritalin-addled 12 year old.

 

[Dacalo]

Originally posted by: Flyback
20.5 light-years away

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

I was like, "Whoa, that's awesome," until I read that.

 

[Flyback]

Originally posted by: Dacalo

Originally posted by: Flyback
20.5 light-years away

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

I was like, "Whoa, that's awesome," until I read that.

That's approx 120,246,768,000,000 miles away, right? [correct me if wrong]... (I don't think anyone will be gettin o'er there too soon )

 

[2Xtreme21]

CNN Link

 

[FoBoT]

isn't 20.5 LY relatively close? how many solar systems are within 25 LY's of us?

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: Dacalo

Originally posted by: Flyback
20.5 light-years away

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

I was like, "Whoa, that's awesome," until I read that.

What did you expect, a hospitable planet on the other side of the sun? I'm surprised it's not a million light years away, the universe is pretty big. 20.5 light years away is chump distance. That's just 20.5 years at light speed, not much at all.

 

[Jgtdragon]

my question is how many years is one light year?!?!

 

[KarmaPolice]

20.5 light years away and thats just not possible to get to at the moment. In order to get there we will need some serious research in physics and figure out how to either push something to the speed of light or even sling it around a planet or something. I think half the speed of light is what some physics people think is attainable and that would take 40 years to get there and 40 years back....

 

[Flyback]

Originally posted by: NanoStuff

Originally posted by: Dacalo

Originally posted by: Flyback
20.5 light-years away

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

I was like, "Whoa, that's awesome," until I read that.

What did you expect, a hospitable planet on the other side of the sun? I'm surprised it's not a million light years away, the universe is pretty big. 20.5 light years away is chump distance. That's just 20.5 years at light speed, not much at all.

I know! I was thinking about swinging by after dinner like "hey whats up planet?"

(yes, in relative terms its close)

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Jgtdragon
my question is how many years is one light year?!?!

uh, one?

 

[Oscar1613]

Originally posted by: Dacalo

Originally posted by: Flyback
20.5 light-years away

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

I was like, "Whoa, that's awesome," until I read that.

even the closest star to us is 4 light years away so we wouldnt be visiting it anytime soon no matter where it was found

 

[Oscar1613]

Originally posted by: Jgtdragon
my question is how many years is one light year?!?!

a light year is a measure of distance not time

 

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: Jgtdragon
my question is how many years is one light year?!?!

According to google, the speed at which light travels is approximately 299 792 458 m/s, i.e.: 1.07925285 × 109 km/h. Which is, to say the least, insanely fast. I don't think we've even reached a tenth of that speed, so it's going to take us ages to get anywhere near that planet any time soon.

 

[n7]

Kewl :Q

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: Jgtdragon
my question is how many years is one light year?!?!

1.20509246 × 10^14 miles is 20.5 light years. Cruising at a speed of 5 miles per second, a space ship would get there in 6,694,958,111 years.

 

[batchusa]

Why do some believe that Earth's conditions are the only ones suitable for life?

 

[mooncancook]

Like Will Smith says in Pursuit of Happiness, possibly = no (boring movie regardless)

 

[Oscar1613]

according to this site, the fastest exit velocity (of the solar system) is Voyager 1 at 38,600 mph, which means it would take 152,292,746 years to go 1 light year or 3,045,854,922 years to travel the 20 light years to this planet

edit: man i dont know what i was doing last night, but i must've missed a decimal or two... the actual number is 356,392 years for the 20.5 light years, not 3 billion or 17,385 years for one light year

 

[2Xtreme21]

We need that damn hyperdrive repaired!

 

[FoBoT]

Scotty, we need more power!!!

 

[Farang]

20.5 light years is relatively close, and reaching it could be possible. We would need some sort of ship that could create its own energy and a crew that is dedicated enough to give their lives for the mission, along with advancements in reaching speeds fast enough to get people there in a reasonable amount of time (<50 years or so).

Now all of those advancements that we need are huge, but definately plausible some time in the future. It is exciting to think that reaching an extra terrestrial planet is within the realm of possibility.