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Space & Astronomy

Astronomers estimate 100 billion planets

By T.K. Randall
January 7, 2013 · Comment icon 14 comments

Image Credit: NASA
Recent discoveries have indicated the likelihood that our own galaxy is teeming with planets.
Astronomers at Caltech have concluded that finding planets around stars is the norm, meaning that within our own Milky Way galaxy alone there could be as many as 100 billion planets. The number is so huge that it seems unimaginable that we won't find life somewhere else out there in the vastness of the cosmos.

"It's a staggering number, if you think about it," said lead author Jonathan Swift. "Basically there's one of these planets per star."
Look up at the night sky and you'll see stars, sure. But you're also seeing planets -- billions and billions of them. At least.


Source: Science Daily | Comments (14)

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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #5 Posted by 27vet 12 years ago
The problem is that we can't see them with current equipment.
Comment icon #6 Posted by Troublehalf 12 years ago
I feel sorry for God, if he exists. Not only did he create Earth and made it his "key" planet, he then decided to make trillions upon trillions of galaxies, each with billions upon billions of stars, each with stars. What a lot of wasted work. I mean, we've only been here for 6,000 years, so he has created all this stuff for no reason. Also, making Earth 70% salt water, nice move God! It's almost like there is no God, or if there is, he cares very little about us, if at all..... So, I did some calculations a few years ago based on estimates and stuff... Using crap assumptions and so on, I basi... [More]
Comment icon #7 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 12 years ago
The problem is that we can't see them with current equipment. Not entirely true. We have already directly imaged 13 planets. (See HERE on Wikipedia for a list). All are at least twice as large as Jupiter and fairly close. We will never be able to directly observe the vast majority, but over the next few decades that list of 13 will expand dramatically.
Comment icon #8 Posted by tritchey24 12 years ago
Troublehalf - You can knock me for my beliefs if you want, but i can tell you what I believe. I believe there are many Gods out there, but to us there is only one God. I believe that each Galaxy has its own God with many creations/stars/planets in our own galaxy. I dont think any of it is wasted work. The planets in our solar system may not have people on them, but each planet is in perfect balance and makes our solar system complete. Without Jupiter/Saturn,ect...we wouldnt be here
Comment icon #9 Posted by King Cobra 1408 12 years ago
there are planets that have life already and that have life not just any type of life but intellegent life and more advanced than we are.we think that we are the center of attention or most advancedn life form out there but thats not true!we are not the only planet with life or lucky planet to have life the universe is amzingly unlimited and to think that planet earth is the only planet is lucky enough to have life is wrong and also to think thatwe are the only ones and that life don't exist one must be amazingly and supremely ignorant and narraow minded to say the least.i just hope that alien... [More]
Comment icon #10 Posted by doppleganger2015 12 years ago
I agree.
Comment icon #11 Posted by Jaygatz 12 years ago
@tritchey24 pretty sure Steven Hawking proved there was no need for a grand creator. aka GOD. hey come on you know its true.... how could you not believe a guy in a wheelchair... and glasses. LOL JK
Comment icon #12 Posted by Rhino666 12 years ago
So we can all have our own planet then. No more congestion charging.
Comment icon #13 Posted by Eonwe 12 years ago
The problem with the Drake Equation is that it still amounts to conjecture. It's an educated guess at best, but that's still better than blindly shooting in the dark. Many distant civilizations, if they did exist, probably exist now, existed millions of years ago, or billions of years ago. But there will still be planets where we may find signs of life or previously existing civilizations.
Comment icon #14 Posted by Zeta Reticulum 12 years ago
The problem with the Drake Equation is that it still amounts to conjecture. It's an educated guess at best, but that's still better than blindly shooting in the dark. Many distant civilizations, if they did exist, probably exist now, existed millions of years ago, or billions of years ago. But there will still be planets where we may find signs of life or previously existing civilizations. Yes, as is probably the case with Mars. However don't hold your breath waiting for NASA to admit to anything like that when it is found.
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