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[alway]

Well, it seems I shall repurpose this long dead thread, as once more results have been released about Kepler's discoveries. The total number of new possible planets is now over 1200, with 54 of those estimated to be in their star's habitable zone. Small planets are much more common than large ones, another good sign that our solar system's composition is pretty much standard, and improving chances for life.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41387915/ns/technology_and_science-space/
http://www.space.com/10742-kepler-exoplanets-data.html
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-02/kepler-telescope-team-announces-exoplanet-cornucopia-more-doubling-current-cosmic-census

[andrea]

first, the falcon 9 launch. Then this. Am I wrong or do we have a space fan here?

I find this interesting, I will probably read the articles tomorrow. I hope we find some earth like planets soon... may help revive interest in the public.

[alway]

first, the falcon 9 launch. Then this. Am I wrong or do we have a space fan here?

I find this interesting, I will probably read the articles tomorrow. I hope we find some earth like planets soon... may help revive interest in the public.

Heh, let's just say I enjoyed reading The World of Physics in middle school and leave it at that. If anything I'm less of a space fan than I used to be.

[sonerohi]

Mathematical rules do not equal reality. Sure, we find these planets, but that doesn't require there to be more of them. Until there is data proving our monitored portion of universe isn't a fluke, or that the rest of the universe hasn't had bad shit happen to it, we cannot declare as fact that there are a bare minimum of planets.

[alway]

Mathematical rules do not equal reality. Sure, we find these planets, but that doesn't require there to be more of them. Until there is data proving our monitored portion of universe isn't a fluke, or that the rest of the universe hasn't had bad shit happen to it, we cannot declare as fact that there are a bare minimum of planets.

Its a sample size of 150,000 stars... Its pretty hard to make that a fluke any way you slice it. But ya, extrapolating beyond this galaxy was just me being silly with numbers, since each galaxy has a pretty big difference in composition.

[sonerohi]

It'd be cool if there were that many, but until we know everything, we have no clue if what we do know is applicable to everything else. For all we know, the rest of the universe  has planets shaped like stuff, like in Super Mario Galaxies. Dibs on the supermodel planet, by the by.

[Leafsnail]

The reason they didn't find earthlike planets earlier was due to the fact it's easier to detect something bigger .  It's pretty cool that they can see other planets of roughly our size now though.

I guess the next step is to work out habitable zones and stuff in case we ever find one lying in it?

Sonerohi - well, we don't know whether the sun will rise tomorrow.  Maybe a big bowl of tulips will come up over the horizon instead...

There is such thing as reasonable extrapolation.

[sonerohi]

I just hope the whale doesn't hit my town.

[alway]

One must also remember that any results Kepler gets are themselves a gross underestimate. Since it works based on the planets passing through a plane parallel to our viewing angle, they have to have an orbital plane within a very small angle to be detected. Even if we were to discover every planet possible using this method, that would still likely be less than 10% of the total.

[Nikov]

I love how this mission is named after my favorite Christian astronomer.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Right then, now all we must do is slay the problem of space travel through Quantum Mechanics, and we'll have our interstellar civilization in no time at all.

[x2yzh9]

I guess the next step is to work out habitable zones and stuff in case we ever find one lying in it?

We have. Mind you I memorized this a while ago, didn't just google it. *smug*
Gliese 581 c & d. d is 7-14 times as massive as Earth, and c is at least 5.36 times as massive as Earth. They are both in the habitable zone, orbiting the same star, a red dwarf, which rarely has habitable planets.
Gotta love space.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

We shall go to these planets and destroy their pathetic atomic age civilizations, taking the worlds for ourselves and establishing our species as a galactic force to be reckoned with! _{Yeah, I was a Renegade.}

[Footkerchief]

Mathematical rules do not equal reality. Sure, we find these planets, but that doesn't require there to be more of them. Until there is data proving our monitored portion of universe isn't a fluke, or that the rest of the universe hasn't had bad shit happen to it, we cannot declare as fact that there are a bare minimum of planets.

It'd be cool if there were that many, but until we know everything, we have no clue if what we do know is applicable to everything else. For all we know, the rest of the universe  has planets shaped like stuff, like in Super Mario Galaxies. Dibs on the supermodel planet, by the by.

Are you serious?

[sonerohi]

Mathematical rules do not equal reality. Sure, we find these planets, but that doesn't require there to be more of them. Until there is data proving our monitored portion of universe isn't a fluke, or that the rest of the universe hasn't had bad shit happen to it, we cannot declare as fact that there are a bare minimum of planets.

It'd be cool if there were that many, but until we know everything, we have no clue if what we do know is applicable to everything else. For all we know, the rest of the universe  has planets shaped like stuff, like in Super Mario Galaxies. Dibs on the supermodel planet, by the by.

Are you serious?

Of course I am. Who doesn't want a planet all to themselves?