Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Science
Related: About this forumScientists find Earth-like planet that could be home to alien life
Planet is the size of Venus and is likely to have a relatively cool atmosphere
Andrew Griffin
9 hours ago
Scientists have found a new Earth-like planet that could support alien life just 40 light-years away.
The planet is a remarkable discovery in the search for habitable worlds: it is slightly smaller than the Earth, and thought to be just a little hotter. Many planets outside our solar system, called exoplanets, tend to be much larger and hotter than our own world.
The newly discovered planet is called Gliese 12b and researchers say that even if we cannot find whether it is home to alien life then it will help in our search for other worlds that might be.
The planet planet orbits its host star every 12.8 days, and is comparable in size to Venus - so slightly smaller than Earth.
More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/space/planet-earth-venus-gliese-alien-b2550242.html
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 734 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (15)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Scientists find Earth-like planet that could be home to alien life (Original Post)
Judi Lynn
May 2024
OP
A 12.8 day year ?? That puts it mighty close to its primary ... or a really small primary.
eppur_se_muova
May 2024
#3
DavidDvorkin
(19,868 posts)1. I thought Venus was slightly larger than Earth
When did it shrink?
CloudWatcher
(1,922 posts)2. Not quite, Venus is smaller
[Venus] is nearly as big around as Earth. Its diameter at its equator is about 7,521 miles (12,104 kilometers), versus 7,926 miles (12,756 kilometers) for Earth.
From an excellent write-up of Venus including an amazing interactive globe of its surface:
Venus Facts - NASA Science
eppur_se_muova
(37,347 posts)3. A 12.8 day year ?? That puts it mighty close to its primary ... or a really small primary.
Something about the name Gliese12 rang a bell -- it is a very nearby red dwarf, not visible to the naked eye.
Along with the planets of TRAPPIST-1, Gliese 12 b is one of the nearest known relatively temperate transiting exoplanets, and so is a promising target for the James Webb Space Telescope to determine whether it has retained an atmosphere.[7] Gliese 12 b orbits slightly closer than the inner edge of its star's habitable zone, with an insolation between those of Earth and Venus.[6] Its equilibrium temperature, assuming zero albedo, is 315 K (42 °C; 107 °F); if it has an atmosphere, the surface temperature would be greater than this.[5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_12
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliese_12
A bit warm, but not completely incompatible with life, particularly with enough water.