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Jupiter-Sized Planet Orbits Epsilon Eridani
Phrogman writes: "SpaceRef is the first to report that a Jupiter-sized planet has been discovered orbiting the star Epsilon Eridani which is located about 10.5 light years from Earth. The planet is oribiting the star at roughly 300 million miles - about the same distance as earth's asteroid belt. The discovery was made by astronomers at McDonald Observatory in Texas in collaboration with other astronomers around the world."
If aliens do contact us by radio signals, it will probably translate to "FIRST POST!!!"
Me & my wife are under the paranoid delusion that the Star Trek shows have been getting the Earth's population ready to make a "First Contact" sorta thing. Or maybe I've just been watching to much Star Trek lately. But look when Star Trek first aired. Wasn't that after Roswell. Gotta go, have to find my Haldol. "Honey did I put that on the shelf next to your Lithium?".....
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The star trek planet Vulcan is supposedly supposed to be in the Epsilon Eridani system, and this corresponds almost perfectly with everything trek says about Vulcun (except that its a Jupiter sized planet, but thats all we can detect so who knows.), and its only 10.5 lightyears away. What are the chances of life ! (hehe. admittedly slim. but still. it would be so cool)
This is great news, for two primary reasons.
First off, it's more or less in our cosmic neighborhood. 10.5 lightyears!! We could quite conceivably send a probe in that direction well within the next century. Knowing that extrasolar planets exist this close to earth is a very good sign indeed.
The planet is also at a very moderate distance from its parent star -- although I see no data regarding the shape of its orbit. It might well be extremely elliptical, but we can always hope for something vaguely circular. In any case, it should make for some interesting viewing.
For more information about extrasolar planets, consult your local library. No, just kidding, try this site here.
First one there gets to name it!
yours,
john
The thing about big planets like this is that they tend to have a lot of moons. In our system, one of the moons (Europa) has water on it, which may be liquid. Now think if Jupiter was closer to the sun. More solar radiation, more tidal forces. Perhaps there could be a livable world in orbit around this planet!!! This is definitely worth sending a probe after. I just wish we were spending more money on space. I really do. It's sad how unimportant it seems to be.