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Unlikely Planets Found In Violent Star Clusters

astroengine writes "When it comes to forming planets, Mother Nature isn't very picky. Despite horrific conditions inside densely packed open clusters, stars apparently have no problem forming and hanging on to an orbital brood. That's the conclusion from a new study (abstract) that used data collected by NASA's now-dormant Kepler space telescope to hunt for planets in a one-billion-year old open cluster called NGC 6811, a collection of about 70 stars located about 3,400 light years away in the constellation Cygnus."

4 of 30 comments (clear)

  1. Globular clusters by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 5, Informative

    So far, the only place where planets haven’t been found yet is in globular clusters, an environment even more extreme that open clusters like NCG [sic!] 6811.

    Aren't globular clusters very old? And, consequently, not very metallic? The lack of planets in them can hardly come as a surprise.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  2. Re:So. by harvestsun · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yeah, screw advancing the state of human knowledge and technology! Physics is for NERDS! Some may say that such advancements are the only purely logical purpose for the continued existence of our race as a whole, but how does that help ME?

  3. Re:So. by war4peace · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This reminds me of some people in the past saying that a train would never exceed 30 miles per hour because the passengers would suffocate.

    --
    ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
  4. Re:So. by interval1066 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Don't be rediculous. Advancements and research in science is money much better spent than throwing young men around the world to kill and die. You wanna save money? Tell congress to stop funding presidential wars.

    --
    Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'