Largest Planet Ever Discovered

(NEWSER) - 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»

Rapid discovery of planets outside our solar system ups odds one has liquid water

(NEWSER) - Astronomers who've spotted 28 new planets in the past year are gaining confidence that other solar systems may be able to support life like ours. One researcher estimated that there are probably "tens of billions" of planets with habitable conditions, most important of which is hospitality to water. More»

Transit occurs next Tuesday; next one in 2117

(NEWSER) - Next Tuesday, Venus will move between the Earth and the sun—and you may want to catch it now, because you probably won't be around when it happens again in 2117. The event will be visible throughout the US shortly before sunset. On the East Coast, you'll want to be up high and facing west, because the sun will be low. Don't look directly at the sun, the New York Times reminds us: Instead, use eclipse-viewing glasses or read about projection techniques. More»

GG 667Cc orbits star 22 light years away

(NEWSER) - A planet in a triple-star system a relatively close 22 light years away is the best candidate yet for supporting life, researchers say. The rocky planet, GJ 667Cc, is around 4.5 times the size of Earth and orbits in the middle of the "Goldilocks zone" where water can remain stable without boiling or freezing, the Christian Science Monitor reports. It orbits a red dwarf star once every 28 days, and appears to absorb as much light and energy from its sun as Earth does. More»

But no sign of aliens, spaceships: researchers

(NEWSER) - More fascinating news about the potential for life on Mars . Some 3% of Mars' volume is capable of sustaining life, Australian scientists have found—more than the 1% of Earth that contains living things. Researchers based their findings on a comparison between the two planets' temperature and pressure attributes, AFP reports. Rather than following earlier studies' lead and examining a single area of Mars, the scientists used a "comprehensive compilation" of the entire planet, making use of decades of findings. More»