Billions of Planets In Milky Way?

jeffsenter writes, "The Washington Post has the story: 'NASA scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered what they believe are 16 new planets deep in the Milky Way, leading them to conclude there are probably billions of planets spread throughout the galaxy.' What sets these potential planets apart is they are in the central bulge of the Milky Way where most stars are located. More planets in the galaxy means more chances for life." The 16 are planet candidates at this point, until verified by spectroscopic measurement of their parent stars' wobbles, which probably can't be done until the James Webb Space Telescope files in 2013.

Comments

ISR

[Daemonstar]

In Soviet Russia, space telescope looks at YOU!

16 -- billions

[GungaDan]

Fuck my accountant. I'm getting an astronomer.

Re:16 -- billions

[ecklesweb]

Astronomers can be creative, accountants can't.

Ever hear of Enron?

They're telling us this now?

[Rhyth]

16 new planets deep in the Milky Way, leading them to conclude there are probably billions of planets spread throughout the galaxy

Could this not have been inferred by the fact there are seven others in plain sight?

Re:They're telling us this now?

[inviolet]

Mercury does not even have an independend rotation and thus might just be considered a moon of the sun . . .

That's no moon.

Re:Billions of *Jupiter sized* gas giants

[gstoddart]

Despite the fact that many people call the sun a "yellow dwarf" or an "average star", it's actually in the top 10%, by brightness.

Of course it's brighter, it's closer to us.

(Note for the humour impaired, this is a joke)

Re:Billions of *Jupiter sized* gas giants

[exp(pi*sqrt(163))]

Your logic is a little flawed. Britney Spears appeared on earth after 4.6 billion years of evolution around a star with a lifetime of 9.2 billion years. Therefore, by your logic, 50% of rocky worlds have, or have had, Britney Spears evolve on them.