Doubts raised about "habitable" exoplanet
Posted: Thu, Oct 14, 2010, 8:09 AM ET (1209 GMT)
An extrasolar planet with a size and orbit consistent with requirements to support life may not exist at all, astronomers said this week. Astronomers announced the discovery of the planet, Gliese 581g, late last month, with a mass as little as three times that of the Earth and an orbit that could permit the presence of liquid water. However, European astronomers said this week that they could not confirm the presence of the star in their own observations, raising doubts that the planet exists. Astronomers involved in the discovery, though, said they remain confident that Gliese 581g exists based on the combination of observations by observatories in Chile and Hawaii.
An extrasolar planet with a size and orbit consistent with requirements to support life may not exist at all, astronomers said this week. Astronomers announced the discovery of the planet, Gliese 581g, late last month, with a mass as little as three times that of the Earth and an orbit that could permit the presence of liquid water. However, European astronomers said this week that they could not confirm the presence of the star in their own observations, raising doubts that the planet exists. Astronomers involved in the discovery, though, said they remain confident that Gliese 581g exists based on the combination of observations by observatories in Chile and Hawaii.| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Sierra Nevada signs contract for Atlas 5 launches of Dream Chaser
Posted: Sun, Jul 23 10:13 AM ET (1413 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, August 23
NASA Breaks Ground on New Collaborative Biosciences Facility in Silicon Valley
NASA/Ames — 6:47 am ET (1047 GMT) In Pursuit of the Perfect Spacesuit
Air & Space — 6:45 am ET (1045 GMT) Colorado School of Mines plans to launch space mining graduate program
KDVR-TV Denver — 6:45 am ET (1045 GMT) Mars Fakers: Can we learn anything by pretending?
Air & Space — 6:44 am ET (1044 GMT) Japan’s satellite Hinode captures epic total eclipse crossing U.S.
Asahi Shimbun — 6:41 am ET (1041 GMT) |
