Near-by Planet May Be Imaged

The closest planet outside our solar system orbits a young Sun-like
star only 10.5 light years away—so close that telescopes might soon
be able to snap pictures of it, new observations confirm.

About 1.5 more massive than Jupiter, the planet takes 7-years to
circle its star, Epsilon Eridani.
The giant gas planet was originally detected in 2000, when astrono-
mers noticed a rocking motion in the star which they attributed to the
gravitational tug of an unseen planet.
Astronomers recently confirmed the wobbles and the planet's existence
with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Astronomers think enough starlight might be reflected off the planet
when it makes its nearest approach to Epsilon Eridani in 2007 for
Hubble and other telescopes to image it.

If moons circle the planet, they might have temperatures similar to
Earth's and possibly liquid water, said study team-member Fritz Ben-
edict at the University of Texas.
However, the planet's orbit takes it so far from its star that any oceans
on the moons would freeze.
However, life could potentially survive on such moons if they were
massive enough to retain a dense heat-trapping atmosphere like
Saturn's moon, Titan, Benedict added.


SOURCE:
Space.com

This is very cool, our first look at an Exosolar planet, I hope it can
be imaged.

The aspect that there may be life capable bodies in the system only
adds to the coolness.


Comments, Opinions?

Think it'd be cool to finally see one of these planets that excist in other areas of our galaxy. To find possible evidence of a planet capable of supporting life would be even better.

I'm sure it will be imaged. Clear skys for everyone in 2007 i hope.

They need to launch the 'TPF' to image these things but the project was all but cancelled because the Bush admin wants to focus on Mars

if this planet IS imaged, count on it not being more than a spot of light just like a star in the sky. don't expect to see water and continents or anything. it'll probably look kind of like jupiter and its moons through a backyard telescope - a large object surrounded by a few dots of light.

I'd be in credibly surprised if something as large as this planet
had liquid water and continents.

I don't care what kind of planet it is, I just want to see a true
image of an exoplanet.

there are already 2 pictures of exoplanets but they are thought to be just red dwarfs because of their size compared to their stars

check space.com

we will be able to take pictures of it of course

Friggen awsome!! Reality is quickly turning into sci-fi. In a few generations our kids will be going to school and instead of hypothetical planets in paintings, they will get to see real pictures of real planets in other solar systems. Maybe the star trek like world I always wished would come true so that I can finally have kids and raise them in an advanced atmosphere will be able to come true. Real progress for our species.

double post sorry

[edit on 23-10-2006 by BASSPLYR]

Any info on the time frame in 2007?
This would be cool if we could see some good detail, I hope it looks different from saturn or jupiter or any of our other planets. Except earth. Imagine an earth 1.5 times the size of jupiter, that would be incredible.

Originally posted by acura_el2000
Imagine an earth 1.5 times the size of jupiter, that would be incredible.

It would be incredible yes, but it's also impossible.
And I honestly would'nt believe it.

Originally posted by iori_komei
It would be incredible yes, but it's also impossible.
And I honestly would'nt believe it.

There could be a planet that size with continents and oceans I think, I don't see why not.

But it would be hard for life on land to exist in that intense gravity, but perhaps there could be a rich ocean ecosystem.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
There could be a planet that size with continents and oceans I think, I don't see why not.

Well if you had something bigger than Jupiter, it could'nt be made
of rock, since the sheer gravitation from that much mass would
cause it to collapse in on itself, atleast that's how I see it based
on what I know.

Originally posted by djohnsto77

Originally posted by iori_komei
It would be incredible yes, but it's also impossible.
And I honestly would'nt believe it.

There could be a planet that size with continents and oceans I think, I don't see why not.

But it would be hard for life on land to exist in that intense gravity, but perhaps there could be a rich ocean ecosystem.

see, i don't like this notion that life would be hard to exist in harsh gravity. harsh gravity for who? us? so what if we couldn't survive there? why does all life have to be exactly like us? this is the same reason i believe a biologist is the worst person to ask about life on other planets.

also, who says there would have to be that much more gravity on a larger planet? no one knows for sure where gravity comes from. if the hollow earth theory is true, for example, you could have a planet 100 times larger than earth with less gravity.

also, what if the planet is significantly less dense than earth? the planet could be 10 times larger, but if it's 15 times less dense, according to current theory, that planet would have a lot less gravity than earth.

it's not impossible. in fact, i'm willing to bet it's only a matter of time until we find it.

exactly, to apply the knowledge of our earth...which we still dont know as much as we think.... to everwere in space is the biggest kind of mistake.