Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 10:34:20 AM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

New Solar System Sparks Hope for Other Life

Posted Feb 15, 08 4:10 AM CST in Science & Health 

(Newser) – Excited astronomers say that the discovery of a solar system with strong similarities to our own raises the chances of other life out there. The system has two gas giants similar to Jupiter and Saturn orbiting at a similar distance from the alien sun 5,000 light years away, and rocky, Earth-like planets may exist in closer orbits, reseachers write in the journal Science.

Experts believe the existence of this system could mean there are many similar solar systems to our own out there, and the more Earth-like planets there are, the likelier extra-terrestrial life is, the Daily Telegraph reports. "Once we know that planets similar to Earth are common, it is straightforward to investigate whether these harbor any forms of life," a professor said.

Source Daily Telegraph (UK)

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Scientists Snap First Images of New Planets

    Nov 13, 08 3:55 PM CST
    Scientists Snap First Images of New Planets Scientists have photographed planets outside our solar system for the first time, Space.com reports. One team captured images of a three-planet system orbiting a star in the Pegasus constellation, while another group snapped a planet rotating around the star Fomalhaut. The planets can't support life or little green men, but one astronomer says the photos are “a crucial step on the road to the ultimate detection of another Earth." More »

  • Nearby Solar System Looks Familiar

    Oct 27, 08 6:45 PM CDT
    Nearby Solar System Looks Familiar A nearby solar system looks a lot like ours, complete with newly identified asteroid belts, gas giants, and a similarly sized sun, Space.com reports. The star at the center of the system is visible without magnification, and scientists say they can infer the presence of planets in a zone whose conditions would be hospitable to life. "This system probably looks a lot like ours did when life first took root on Earth," a researcher tells McClatchy.
    More »

  • 3-D Map Adds Light Years to Concept of Universe

    Oct 15, 08 5:00 PM CDT
    3-D Map Adds Light Years to Concept of Universe Telescope photographs of the night sky are compelling, but it’s hard to get a feel for the heavens when you’re Earthbound. The recently completed Sloan Digital Sky Survey can help: It is a 3-D map of the area within 2 billion light years of Earth that allows the user to move through space as if by flying saucer, the Los Angeles Times reports. More »

  • Trick Telescopy Aids in Search for Alien Life

    Oct 13, 08 2:03 PM CDT
    Trick Telescopy Aids in Search for Alien Life Telescope technology currently in the works will use light measurements to search for planets beyond our solar system whose orbit around a star means they could support life, Wired reports. The system, called nulling interferometry, uses tiny mirrors that move at atomic levels to combine the power of several telescopes, creating a device that could see a quarter on the moon. More »

  • Dwarf Planet Gets a Name

    Jul 22, 08 10:17 AM CDT
    Dwarf Planet Gets a Name The neighborhood of the solar system beyond Neptune has a new resident—or rather, an old resident with a new name. The dwarf planet originally dubbed Easterbunny will now be known as Makemake (pronounced MAH-keh MAH-keh), reports USA Today. More »

An artist rendition released by the European Space Agency on Wednesday shows the main bodies of our solar system. "Here we have a system where the two largest planets are similar to the two largest in...   (Associated Press)
This image provided by NASA shows a rare, infrared view of a developing star and its flaring jets taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope showing us what our own solar system might have looked like billions...   (Associated Press)
BEYOND: VISIONS OF PLANETARY LANDSCAPES   (Getty Images)
This image provided by NASA shows a montage of New Horizons images of Jupiter and its volcanic moon Io. The discovery of a solar system with gas giants similar to Jupiter orbiting a sun at a similar distance...   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 1)

Tags

space • astronomy • extraterrestrial life • planet • solar system


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Science & Health Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »