Super-Earth Discovered In Star's Habitable Zone

astroengine writes "The family of planets circling a relatively close dwarf star has grown to six, including a potential rocky world at least seven times more massive than Earth that is properly located for liquid water to exist on its surface, a condition believed to be necessary for life. Scientists added three new planets to three discovered in 2008 orbiting an orange star called HD 40307, which is roughly three-quarters as massive as the sun and located about 42 light-years away in the constellation Pictor. Of particular interest is the outermost planet, which is believed to fly around its parent star over 320 days, a distance that places it within HD 40307's so-called "habitable zone.""

Comments

Re:too heavy

[MyLongNickName]

Earth masses is not the same as surface gravity. Assuming a similar density, this planet would have roughly twice the gravity as Earth.

Re:Fermi's p

[rossdee]

Just as well, because if they ever did get off their planet they would be able to beat us.
(their ships would out maneuver ours , they would have faster reflexes, and we wouldn't have a chance in hand to claw combat

Gravity

[wisnoskij]

I wonder if this will prevent walking animals.
I imagine a snake or a fish should not have nearly as much trouble as a dog or human.

Re:Water

[MyLongNickName]

No, we can't. The reading population is not static and I don't see how including it hurts anyone.