There Can Be an Earth-Like Planet in Alpha Centauri
Finally I feel better! I have been sick for the last 8 days and today it is the first time I feel better. I have had some kind of a stomach virus and I have enjoyed some pretty good pain in my stomach every damn day. Today I woke up and thought “oh dear, not pain in my stomach? Gotta go blogging..”. So it’s time to make some good coffee, open my laptop and start writing. It feel helluva good to be back blogging and rocking in HomeboyAstronomy.Com!
According to a recent publication, there can be an Earth-like planet in Alpha Centauri, which is a popular destination for interstellar travel in works of science fiction. This possible Earth-like rocky planet would be located in Alpha Centauri, which is only in four million light years away from us. The claim is based on computer simulations according to which “terrestrial planets are likely to have formed around the star Alpha Centauri B and to be orbiting in the “habitable zone” where liquid water can exist on the planet’s surface”. Being located in the “habitable zone” means that on the surface of n Earth-like planet water could be liquid. By this the the probability of life increases dramatically.
“I think the planets are there, and it’s worth a try to have a look,” says Gregory Laughlin, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UCSC as well as a coauthor of this study. Finding a small rocky planet is a big challenge, but finding the planet should be possible with the telescopes we have nowadays. Anyhow, most probably we would need observations from a number of years.
Read more about this interesting study in UC Santa Cruz website.
This article was written by Marko Pyhajarvi and its original location is in HomeboyAstronomy.Com astronomy blog. For more great astronomy articles, please visit HomeboyAstronomy.Com! Share This
Isn’t Alpha Centauri only four light years away, not four million?
Perhaps after all we are not alone! …. You have a nice blog and have managed to get some great complementary pictures. :o)
Tammy, it is really 4 light years, not millions. Check more about Alpha Centauri in Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri
Pollydot, thanks for you comment. I’m glad you like my humble blog! Most of the pictures are from my simulation program, some pictures I buy from image agencies and some pictures are borrowed from original news posts, such as the picture in this news article that refers to the original one. Thanks for stopping by!
Good to hear you are feeling better again.
Also good to hear we may have neighbours only 4 light years or so away.
Heh.. should we go for coffee to our “new neighbors”? It’s ONLY 4 light years away, which means about 41.5 TRILLION km…
Good to see you here again, Garg the Unzola! Check out the latest stuff in my metal blog as well. You might be interested.
My O My, what should i saw..there are so many secrets in the universe….but can anyone from earth can reach there? I dont think so…
The huge distance is really a problem. Anyhow, I don’t believe human beings will travel to Alpha Centauri during my time on Earth. May be hundreds years later, but I believe we have destroyed the planet and human race before that. Pretty cynic, eh?
Leave your response!
Blogroll
Recent Comments
Most Commented
Homeboy's Friends