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Smaller Than Earth-Sized Exomoon Discovered?
astroengine writes "Through the technique of microlensing, a candidate exomoon has been discovered in orbit around a free-floating planet about 1,600 light-years away toward the galactic bulge. The microlensing event, MOA-2011-BLG-262, was detected by the MOA-II telescope at Mt. John University Observatory (MJUO) in New Zealand and it appears to have a mass of approximately half that of Earth. The host planet is around 4 times the mass of Jupiter. Unfortunately there cannot be further studies of his particular exoplanet-exomoon pair (as microlensing events are transient and random), so the astronomers who made the discovery are remaining cautious and point out that although the exoplanet-exomoon model fits the data the best, there's a possibility that the lensing object may have been a more distant star with a massive exoplanet in tow. Microlensing surveys are, however, sensitive to low mass exoplanets orbiting massive free-floating planets, so this is a tantalizing first-detection. The study's pre-print publication has been uploaded to the arXiv."
OK, proceed to normal discussions.
How do we know it's there? Sure they told us, but it's not like we can check it ourselves. It's not like we have a spaceship, which can take us there and see for ourselves. With all the NSA talk it could actually be healthy to think wider and more generally who can be trusted? This is specially interesting with claims nobody else can test for themselves.
Having said that I have to say that it is entirely possible that this is the truth and I have no reason not to believe their reported find. I think it is interesting, but to be honest it is of little use. We kind of knew other planets could have moons and it isn't like we will start to mine this one or anything,
Free floating planets give me hope. There are use cases for free floating planets. Stars explode. It's nice to know there are some places out there we can have low-maintenance long-term storage options deep inside, safe from cosmic rays or exploding stars -- We might not have to build them from scratch, or worry about how to power EM shields indefinitely. We ever make it off this wet rock before the sun explodes the Andromeda Galaxy will be merging with ours. That's a whole new galaxy full of resources, and it's heading our way. We'll probably need new stars and planets to harvest eventually, so that's a good thing.
Unfortunately it doesn't look like life on Earth will be able to survive the sun's explosion, and we can't tow the planet in enough time to sling it away for posterity's sake -- Sure would be nice if we could though, maybe it's not impossible, but who can say what a few billion years of new technology will bring. It would be cool to visit the free floating frozen origin of our species rather than let it be fried to a crisp, and/or re-liquefied. The crust just isn't thick enough to burrow down in thanks to our large moon-making collision. C'est la vie.
"... mass of approximately half that of Earth"
How many moon units would that be?
The observatory that published this isn't even American, you fuck.
Only one nation has even managed to put a man on the MOON (orbiting THIS planet) and that nation is not now even capable of putting a CHIMP into orbit (something it COULD do 50 years ago).
Notice all the noise politicians are starting to make about regulating and "permitting" mining and settling of the moon, Mars, asteroids, though.
Collapse all economic dynamism, but god damned, we're level 95 and counting on our ability to pontificate and lord over the population.
As Shakespeare might say:
Permitting and permitting and permitting
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Freedom's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And now is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Only one nation has even managed to put a man on the MOON
All those losers who studied the moon before we had spaceflight should have been doing something more productive, amirite?
you mean people such as yourself?
They gonna call it "Endor"?
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Or
"That's no moon"
Silence is a state of mime.
it has ZERO potential to actually produce any benefit and therefore generate value in the economy
So does posting stupid stuff to Slashdot, but people do it anyway.
how truly pointless this stuff is? Sure, there are a few astronomy geeks who are able to make a living (from grants, rather than productive economic activity) studying this stuff, but it has ZERO potential to actually produce any benefit and therefore generate value in the economy...
You bitching on the internet has ZERO potential to actually produce any benefit and therefore generate value int eh economy... so you you are pointless.
I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
There was this one time, when like, I thought this one thing was a bug, but when I got closer it was a pebble.
Did I ever tell you about this one time when I thought I seriously fucked my toe up, but I only stubbed it?
I remember once when I walked a long time, like it felt like tons of hours and miles, but it was only an hour and it was only like three miles. I dunno I guess I was tired.
"Stratigraphically the origin of agriculture and thermonuclear destruction will appear essentially simultaneous" -- Lee