Closest Rocky Exoplanet Confirmed

[Waspie_Dwarf]

NASA's Spitzer Confirms Closest Rocky Exoplanet

Using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers have confirmed the discovery of the nearest rocky planet outside our solar system, larger than Earth and a potential gold mine of science data.

Dubbed HD 219134b, this exoplanet, which orbits too close to its star to sustain life, is a mere 21 light-years away. While the planet itself can't be seen directly, even by telescopes, the star it orbits is visible to the naked eye in dark skies in the Cassiopeia constellation, near the North Star.

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[pallidin]

Nice.

[Anomalocaris]

Faraway, so close

[Infernal Gnu]

Silicon-based lifeforms like the Horta on the 1967 Star Trek Episode "The Devil in the Dark" could exist here.

[TonopahRick]

Here there be Dragons.

[Timothy]

If you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth.

[krypter3]

If you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth.

But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you aint where you wanna be because of him, her or anybody.

[SnarfLion]

What did you say to the kid? It's not how hard you can hit. It's how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward..get up..get up..

[toast]

What did you say to the kid? It's not how hard you can hit. It's how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward..get up..get up..

What?

[+Noteverythingisaconspiracy]

Ok that was a weird couple of posts there Timonthy, Krypter3 and SnarfLion.

On a more serious note, have there been any confirmation on the Earth sized planet orbiting Alpha Centauri B ? Last time I heard it was still not 100 % certain. https://en.wikipedia...pha_Centauri_Bb

If that planet has been confirmed, that would surely be the closest one.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Noteverythingisaconspiracy

[krypter3]

Rocky?

[Frank Merton]

Ok that was a weird couple of posts there Timonthy, Krypter3 and SnarfLion.

On a more serious note, have there been any confirmation on the Earth sized planet orbiting Alpha Centauri B ? Last time I heard it was still not 100 % certain. https://en.wikipedia...pha_Centauri_Bb

If that planet has been confirmed, that would surely be the closest one.

What I got out of those posts is that a certain actor of a couple decades ago can be compared to a Horta. Stretching that further, it is implied that this actor is a life form, maybe of a sort that could exist on overheated rocky planets orbiting white dwarfs. Of course that a creature appeared in Star Trek is not really an argument for its reality, even if versions of it are found in Hollywood.

The important thing here may be that this is a "super-Earth" in an orbit close to its sun, something apparently quite common -- much more common that "Earths" orbiting further out. This might indicate that the history that resulted in the arrangement of our solar system is uncommon, and that a cluster of larger planets very close in is the norm. I suppose much more data is needed to confirm such a generality.

[bison]

A relatively small planet in an orbit comparatively distant from its star is harder to detect by any of the common means, than a larger, closer-in one. A smaller, more distant planet causes less movement of its star. It is harder to detect when it passes between its star and Earth. Since it has a longer orbital period, it must be watched for much longer to confirm its existence.

In all, it's not surprising that knowledge of planets like Earth is scarce. Given time, and the new telescopes planned for the near future, this could very well change. We seem to be coming closer and closer to detecting planets like our own in most important astrophysical aspects.

[Frank Merton]

A relatively small planet in an orbit comparatively distant from its star is harder to detect by any of the common means, than a larger, closer-in one. A smaller, more distant planet causes less movement of its star. It is harder to detect when it passes between its star and Earth. Since it has a longer orbital period, it must be watched for much longer to confirm its existence.

In all, it's not surprising that knowledge of planets like Earth is scarce. Given time, and the new telescopes planned for the near future, this could very well change. We seem to be coming closer and closer to detecting planets like our own in most important astrophysical aspects.

I think the point you make is invalidated statistically. We can predict how many we should find and compare it with how many we do find.

[bison]

The recent trend in thinking in astronomical circles seems to be that Earth-sized planets in their star's habitable zones are relatively common. The figure I read from a statistical analysis of Kepler and Keck Observatory data is that about 20 percent of stars have such planets, in such orbits. A link to an article on this, below:

http://www.keckobser..._habitable_zone

Edited August 3, 2015 by bison

[grandfunkrailroad]

Hmm i always thought most planets were rocky (and with Rocky i am not referring to that great philosophical thinker of our age aka sylveste stallone)

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Hmm i always thought most planets were rocky

On the contrary. Even in our solar system only half the planets are rocky. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are essentially balls of gas.

The vast majority of exoplanets so far discovered are gas giants.

[Timothy]

What I got out of those posts is

Your breakdown was valuable and timely.

However, I was thinking far more simple, 'Rocky' as per planet description, and the quote in regards to the apparent value of the rock.

[Frank Merton]

Your web site is a bit breathless and extreme. I don't really know but I don't think Earths are all that common for a variety of reasons, mainly that there seems to be no sign of evolved life, that they haven't been actually verified, just "super-Earths", and there is now theoretical reason to think that most systems are much closer to their star than is the case with us and what happened with our solar system may be anomalous.

Fact is the issue is not worth a discussion, and certainly not worth forming a strong opinion, since we need much more data.