Microlensing Uncovers Earth-Like Planet

smooth wombat writes "Using a new technique called gravitational microlensing, a team of astronomers have discovered the smallest Earth-like planet circling a star 20,000 light years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Unfortunately the planet takes ten years to circle the red dwarf and has a surface temperature estimated at -220 C which means it's just a larger version of Pluto so the chance of finding life on this planet is essentially zero."

Comments

Earthlike?

[erroneus]

In what way, then, is it earth-like?

why does this make it an "earth like planet"

[HelloKitty]

so does anyone know what is "earthlike" about a planet that is too cold to live on?

I'm guessing it has to do with the observed spectrum from the planet indicating the right checmical components...

To everyone; It's Earth like...

[IAAP]

because of mass.FTFA:

Recent simulations of planet formation suggest that bodies with an Earth-like mass are abundant.

The headline should have been: Earth like (similar mass) Planet uncovered.

What we need is some sort of descriptor like, oh I don't know, let's say 'M' class for Earth like - in the sense that we can live on it as we do here on Earth.

I'll thin I'll trade mark :M Class". None of you have heard of that before - have you?

Re:Quote from TFA:

[ChrisA90278]

"How can we prove there is life on a distant planet when we have problems seeing if there is life on Mars?"

It's easy, you look for oxigen in the atmosphere. O2 would be almost certain proff of life while not finding O2 saya nothing. But you asked "How can we prove...?" and the answer is O2 would be a near certain proof. By "easy"I ment in theory. Getting a spectrum of a exo-planet would be no easy thing

Why don't we see O2 on Mars? Not seeing it only means that if there is life the ecosystem is nothing like Earth's