"Goldilocks" planet found

[Numistrek09]

Saw this on my web news a few days ago, but haven't been around to post it till now. I think it's pretty cool myself, even if it turns out to be nothing there but rock.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100929/ap_on_sc/us_sci_new_earths

So far this solar system seems to be the most interesting one found yet. Wonder what it would look like up close.

Where's the Enterprise when i need it.

 

[JonL]

The way things are going on our planet we need to be working on warp drives ASAP! They got any realtors over there yet?

 

[gearhound]

No, but I've been trying for days to get a Liquor License there.
Wish me luck!!

Steve

 

[MAXZ28]

I wouldn't get too excited just yet. For all we know the state of said planet could be "worse" than it is here. :scratch2:

 

[cwall99]

Well, from what I heard, the planet doesn't really rotate about its own axis very rapidly.

Since the star it orbits is a red dwarf, it's what's called tidally locked (here's a good definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidally_locked). So it's kinda like our moon in that it always has the same side facing the star that it orbits (yes, I know, our moon doesn't orbit a star... directly).

In short, it has a light side (where it's screaming hot all the time), a dark side (where it's freakin' cold all the time), and a narrow band of perpetual dusk (or dawn) where liquid water may exist.