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The planet called Kapteyn b might support water. It is at least five times the mass of that of Earth and orbits its star every 48 days. This means the planet is warm enough for water to be present on its surface. The second planet, Kapteyn c is a more massive super-Earth in comparision. Its year lasts for 121 days and astronomers think it's too cold to support liquid water. At the moment, only a few properties of the planets are known: approximate masses, orbital periods, and the distances from their host star. By measuring their atmospheres using instruments that are currently under development, astronomers will verify the presence or lack of water.
"Finding a stable planetary system with a potentially habitable planet orbiting one of the very nearest stars in the sky is mind blowing. This is one more piece of evidence that nearly all stars have planets, and that potentially habitable planets in our Galaxy are as common as grains of sand on a beach," said Pamela Arriagada, the second author, and a Carnegie postdoctoral researcher.
Based upon parallax measurements with the Hipparcos astrometry satellite, Kapteyn's Star is at a distance of 12.76 light-years (3.91 parsecs) from the Earth. It came within 7.00 light-years (2.15 parsecs) of the Sun about 10,800 years ago and has been moving away since that time.
originally posted by: libertytoall
Are we to assume if it's a red dwarf that it's most likely older than our solar system? Because if it's as old as I think it is, when comparing to earth's solar system, I would say any complex habitable life would have the technology by now to travel 12.7 light years fairly easily and in a short period of time.. Hence, aliens visiting Earth.
I would say any complex habitable life would have the technology by now to travel 12.7 light years fairly easily and in a short period of time.. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...
originally posted by: intrptr
Is a red dwarf really red? I wonder what daylight looks like on those planets?
The star system closest to our own sun hosts a planet with roughly Earth's mass and may harbor other alien worlds as well, a new study reports.
Astronomers detected the alien planet around the sunlike star Alpha Centauri B, which is part of a three-star system just 4.3 light-years away from us. The newfound world is about as massive as Earth, but it's no Earth twin; its heat-blasted surface may be covered with molten rock, researchers said.
The mere existence of the planet, known as Alpha Centauri Bb, suggests that undiscovered worlds may lurk farther away from its star — perhaps in the habitable zone, that just-right range of distances where liquid water can exist.
"Most of the low-mass planets are in systems.
originally posted by: ArchPlayer
Its funny that NASA back in the day only would claim the known planets they put in the science textbooks. Now all of a sudden it seems new worlds are being discovered on a weekly basis.
I just find that ironically amusing they can find a world but can't accurately predict a inbound meteor. Things to make you go HMMMMM.
i am aware of that one. but since it is likely molten i dun count it. plus... later on after the excitement died down i think the existence of that planet was disputed. that happens a lot. barnard's star was once thought to have a planet and alpha proxima was once thought to have a jupiter iszed planet.
originally posted by: Xcathdra
a reply to: stormbringer1701
Discovery! Earth-Size Alien Planet at Alpha Centauri Is Closest Ever Seen - Oct 2012
The star system closest to our own sun hosts a planet with roughly Earth's mass and may harbor other alien worlds as well, a new study reports.
Astronomers detected the alien planet around the sunlike star Alpha Centauri B, which is part of a three-star system just 4.3 light-years away from us. The newfound world is about as massive as Earth, but it's no Earth twin; its heat-blasted surface may be covered with molten rock, researchers said.
The mere existence of the planet, known as Alpha Centauri Bb, suggests that undiscovered worlds may lurk farther away from its star — perhaps in the habitable zone, that just-right range of distances where liquid water can exist.
"Most of the low-mass planets are in systems.
originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: libertytoall
I would say any complex habitable life would have the technology by now to travel 12.7 light years fairly easily and in a short period of time.. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...
If an asteroid didn't nail them.
If they didn't ruin their world.
If...
If..
If.