Earlier this week, scientists discovered a planet that, according to them, has all of the ingredients conducive to starting life. At twenty light-years away, Gliese 581g is a mere galactic hop from Earth. Discovered at the Keck Observatory in Hawaii, the planet, which orbits red-dwarf Gliese 581 (thus the name) has been deemed “the first habitable exo-planet,” by scientists.
According to Discover Magazine, astronomer Paul Butler, with the Carnegie Institute in Washington D.C., told reporters, “This is really the first ‘Goldilocks’ planet, the first planet that is roughly the size and just the right distance to have liquid water on the surface.”
According to Discover Magazine, astronomer Paul Butler, with the Carnegie Institute in Washington D.C., told reporters, “This is really the first ‘Goldilocks’ planet, the first planet that is roughly the size and just the right distance to have liquid water on the surface.”
Image from: NASA (Image Credit: Lynette Cook)
However the planet is tidally locked in orbit around its star, meaning that unlike Earth, Gliese 581g doesn’t rotate on its axis. One side stays in perpetual daylight and the other in perpetual darkness. If people could find a way to get to Gliese 581g, the only habitable part of the planet would likely be on the border where light becomes dark and dark becomes light, since the dark side of the planet would be constantly freezing and the light side constantly smoldering.
Steven Vogt, one of the lead scientists of the 11-year-study raised a few eyebrows on the interwebs when he told Discover that, in his opinion, “the chances for life on this planet are 100%.” He did clarify later with the New York Times, that this relatively unscientific statement (the presence of water has yet to be confirmed on 581g) was a strictly personal opinion.
During a webcast, Paul Butler, co-author of the study and Carnegie Institution scientist cautioned “Any discussion of life at this point is, of course, speculative. That being said, on Earth, anywhere you find liquid water you find life in abundance.”
Regardless of its potential for sustaining life, humans aren’t going to be mistaking 581g for their home planet. It has a mass three times greater than Earth’s and its star, Gliese 581, is much dimmer than our own.
Current technology doesn’t let scientists study the planet for chemical signs of life, but astronomers expect to find many more “life-friendly” planets soon. Vogt said that 581g is “so close and we have found this thing so soon that it suggest we will start finding a lot of these things in the future…This is a harbinger of things to come.”
Since there is no way yet to tell if there is life on 581g (or any other planets we’ve yet to discover), and there is no telling what kind of life it is, I’d like to say “Hello” to any of Gliesian readers out there. Also, I’m sorry… I know that the name of your planet is lame, but I didn’t have any part in the naming process.
(If you’re interested, HERE is the original paper, published in the Astrophysical Journal.)
Steven Vogt, one of the lead scientists of the 11-year-study raised a few eyebrows on the interwebs when he told Discover that, in his opinion, “the chances for life on this planet are 100%.” He did clarify later with the New York Times, that this relatively unscientific statement (the presence of water has yet to be confirmed on 581g) was a strictly personal opinion.
During a webcast, Paul Butler, co-author of the study and Carnegie Institution scientist cautioned “Any discussion of life at this point is, of course, speculative. That being said, on Earth, anywhere you find liquid water you find life in abundance.”
Regardless of its potential for sustaining life, humans aren’t going to be mistaking 581g for their home planet. It has a mass three times greater than Earth’s and its star, Gliese 581, is much dimmer than our own.
Current technology doesn’t let scientists study the planet for chemical signs of life, but astronomers expect to find many more “life-friendly” planets soon. Vogt said that 581g is “so close and we have found this thing so soon that it suggest we will start finding a lot of these things in the future…This is a harbinger of things to come.”
Since there is no way yet to tell if there is life on 581g (or any other planets we’ve yet to discover), and there is no telling what kind of life it is, I’d like to say “Hello” to any of Gliesian readers out there. Also, I’m sorry… I know that the name of your planet is lame, but I didn’t have any part in the naming process.
(If you’re interested, HERE is the original paper, published in the Astrophysical Journal.)
