Super Earth
Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:51 am
Whether you love astronomy or not, this is pretty cool and possible even significant.
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/16/super.earth.discovery/index.html
...because
That is really, really close comparatively to what scientists thought for a very long time would be the distance between us and another similar-life bearing planet.
Plus, this cracks me up:
That is amazing to me in so many ways
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/16/super.earth.discovery/index.html
...because
CNN wrote:The planet is also rather near to our solar system -- only about 40 light-years away.
That is really, really close comparatively to what scientists thought for a very long time would be the distance between us and another similar-life bearing planet.
Plus, this cracks me up:
CNN wrote:In a way, the newly discovered planet was sitting right in front of astronomers' faces, just waiting for them to look. Instead of using high-powered telescopes attached to satellites, they spotted the planet using an amateur-sized, 16-inch telescope on the ground.
That is amazing to me in so many ways