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A exoplanet has been discovered (paywalled) that is called "LHS 1140b" and it's deemed a super earth. It lies in the Goldilocks zone where water is in an accessible fluid phase. The atmosphere, however, also plays a critical role, as can be demonstrated with the planet Venus. Seven exoplanets had been found two months ago orbiting TRAPPIST-1, but LHS 1140b is deemed exceptional. Jason Dittmann, an astronomer at Harvard University that lead the research group, says it's the most interesting exoplanet he has seen in the past decade. In contrast with the TRAPPIST-1 star, LHS 1140 spins slowly and does not emit much high-energy radiation, which may also help the likelihood of life on its planet.
The planet is circa 5*10^9 years old, 500*10^6 years older than Earth. The diameter is 40% larger, the mass 6.6 times that of Earth, and gravity is 3.4 times that of Earth.
The first exoplanet was discovered in 1995 and since then at least 2000 has been discovered.
Many more details are available in a research letter (pdf).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 22 2017, @11:09AM (2 children)
Actually, close to light speed the time dilates
Actually, who cares? Your spacecraft would be reduced to dust. Look up "relativity" sometime and how high speed impacts would destroy you and your spacecraft rather quickly.
Reality is conventional travel is completely impractical for interstellar distances.
(Score: 4, Funny) by art guerrilla on Saturday April 22 2017, @11:42AM (1 child)
uh duh: deflector shields and tractor beams avoid 100% of all collisions, i have it on good authority of a certain engineer on the USS Enterprise...
*snort* noobz...
(Score: 2) by isostatic on Saturday April 22 2017, @05:20PM
Tractor beam didn't stop the Bozeman, only decompressing the main shuttlebay did