Earth Like Planets

[kdavis007]

How soon do you think that we will find an Earth like planet in a different solar system?

 

[arobie]

I quess that depends on good narrowing down of possible earth-like planet containing systems, good luck in choosing which ones to look in, and also how soon we get a great satellite telescope to specificaly look for them.

 

[tfwthom]

From Planet Quest http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/index.html<br /><br />"....Over the next 15 years, NASA is embarking on a bold series of missions to find and characterize new worlds. These will be the most sensitive instruments ever built, capable of reaching beyond the bounds of our own solar system. <br /><br />The Keck Interferometer will combine the light of the world's largest optical telescopes, extending our vision to new distances. <br /><br />Using a technique known as interferometry, the Keck will study dust clouds around stars where planets may be forming. It may also provide the first direct images of giant planets outside our solar system. <br /><br />The Space Interferometry Mission will measure the distances and positions of stars with unprecedented accuracy. SIM's precision will allow us to detect evidence of planets just slightly larger than Earth. <br /><br />Finally, the Terrestrial Planet Finder will build upon the legacy of all that have gone before it. With an imaging power 100 times greater than the Hubble Space Telescope, Terrestrial Planet Finder will send back the first photographs of nearby planetary systems. ...."<br /><br />"....We will have found another Earth...."<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[nikshliker]

i suppose it depends on what type of planet you would consider earthlike. it is very possible that there could be a planet that has the same makeup and temperature as ours ye has no life on it. it is equally possible that we may find a planet that has harsh conditions yyet has some type of life on the planet. which one would u consider more lifelike<br />------------------<br />another question that may be plausible is in your beliefs. do u believe n evolution? the probability is yes u do, but consider the following. how is it that we started from a state of disarray and a chaotic begining( i a referring to the begining of earth) then over time the word became to a state of order. how is it that we humans came from the premordial muck to be such a perfectly constructed structure. Goin from a state of confusion to a state of order is against our laws of physics. the point i am trying to get at is...... we could be the only ones out there. perhaps constructed by a higher being. please dont laugh and call me crazy. dwell upon ths and try and prove me wrong. i truly wish we werent alone in the universe

 

[claywoman]

Well...Using your theory, how did we exist and you can actually go the other way also. if one planet in the vastness of the universe just happens to have life, I'm sorry but I cannot believe or maybe my ego isn't large enough, but I cannot believe we are the only form of life in the sky.<br /><br />I believe there are other beings out there somewhere in the infinite unifverse, someone probably much different then we are, possibly more intelligent and far more capable of space travel then we. No, I'm not thinking science fiction or TV, I'm thinking logically here. With the billions of stars in just our skies, you can actually not imagine another world with life? How?<br /><br />How can you not look at the stars and ask yourself, how many of those solar systems have life? What are they doing right now? What are their thoughts? If this were the only inhabited planet, then we would be the biggest cosmic joke around, a planet that sustains life?

 

[neutron_star6]

Honestly I do think that one is out there but that we will never find it. So far Mars looks like it might be but if that is true, considering they have found green on Mars, then it will take a long long very long time to get anything like Earth.

 

[dan9678]

I cannot imagine how taking down the Hubble telescope benefits anyone. <br /><br />Your anger is deserving of its own thread. In fact, stupid NASA decisions are deserving of an entire forum.<br />

 

[alokmohan]

Tell me if kepler mission is called tpf now.

 

[thalion]

If by "earthlike" you mean terrestrial planets in the general size range of Earth, I think imaging those is no more than five to seven years down the road. If, however, you mean a planet with an atmosphere of earth-like composition, then my guess is that that is no less than 10, and probably at least 20 years or more in the future.

 

[toymaker]

Read this steve<br />http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=9736<br /><br />From what I know,general pictures of earthlike(in size) planets are quite plausible in terms of technological ability in the near(10-20years) future.

 

[toymaker]

"and given the paltry interest and understanding of space science by 95% of the population"<br />I am curious-could you give me a link to that survey ?

 

[meteo]

I think if we're lucky Kepler mission could detect an earth sized planet, scheduled for launch in 2007.<br /><br />http://www.kepler.arc.nasa.gov/

 

[nexium]

Hi Toymaker: Surveys would show highly variable results as different words than paultry were substituted, and other details of the question. Most people have a slight interest; one in a million (perhaps) are intensely interested, not including me, as I have about 100 other interests besides space science. 95% seems about right for "don't bore me with lots of details." About 1/2 the population avoids excessive details on all topics. Can we consider too many details? I am intense about analyzing details. Neil

 

[jmilsom]

There's another thread on the pinhole camera concept in the Space Science and Astronomy Forum:<br /><br />http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=sciastro&Number=65281&page=&view=&sb=&o=&fpart=all&vc=1<br /><br />Re; Steve. I agree with comments on general disinterest by our populace and our future in space - but you've gotta be more upbeat about some of these things. The guy leading that feasibility study on the pinhole camera has a good track record - and a bunch of pretty bright people seem quite convinced over the theory behind it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[jmilsom]

I completely agree with you on the education issue though. Instead of building smarter nations, we seem to be goingin the opposite direction. Scholarship and science is constantly being sacrificed for short-term expediency and profit. The US seems to be leading this trend, with countries like Australia and the UK, awe inspired by the wonderful short term money making approach - hot on its heels. <br /><br />Education is a much more powerful weapon than any armaments we can produce! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[jmilsom]

We're a bit sidetracked from the original point of this thread. <br /><br />I have one question on extra-solar planets. Have we detected any planets around the ten stars closest to our own? Have we been looking at them? How do the extra-solar teams choose which stars to look at? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Possibly not List of extrasolar planets is available in astrobio net.

 

[killium]

I think he was talking about surface gravity which DO increase with a higher density when the mass remains the same. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>