Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Possible Water World Found

This is an interesting development in the search for exoplanets.

Gliese 581 d is probably too large to be made only of rocky material, fellow astronomer and team member Stephane Udry said, adding it was possible the planet had a "large and deep" ocean.

"It is the first serious 'water-world' candidate," Udry said.

Plus this solar system is only 20.5 light years away from earth. A long term mission could actually be launched to this solar system and could get there in a single generation. In the meantime we could aim radio waves at this planet and see if we get any response.

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