Extraterrestrial
500m planets in our galaxy could support life
By
T.K. RandallFebruary 21, 2011 ·
45 comments
Image Credit: NASA/ESA
Data from NASA's Kepler telescope suggests there are 50 billion planets in the Milky Way.
To date Kepler has discovered 1,235 planets with 54 of those falling within the 'Goldilocks zone' in which life could potentially exist. Scientists have determined that one in every two stars has at least one planet and that one in 200 stars has a planet thought to be able to sustain life as we know it.
Scientists have estimated the first cosmic census of planets in our galaxy and the numbers are astronomical: at least 50 billion planets in the Milky Way. At least 500 million of those planets are in the not-too-hot, not-too-cold zone where life could exist. The numbers were extrapolated from the early results of NASA's planet-hunting Kepler telescope.
Source:
Yahoo! News |
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