astrophysics - dumb questions

[HMS_Beagle]

Gas clouds aren't bacon! And now Sparko got squished by Jupiter's gravity when he went after the "bacon".

But bacon can sure produce gas clouds.

[Sparko]

back to the topic:


What is the nearest potentially earthlike planet so far?

[Roy]

What is the nearest potentially earthlike planet so far?

Mars?

Suggest downloading the data here and filtering to your desired characteristics.

[Christianbookworm]

Mars?

Suggest downloading the data here and filtering to your desired characteristics.

Isn't it too cold? And it doesn't have a think enough atmosphere of the right composition.

[One Bad Pig]

Isn't it too cold? And it doesn't have a think enough atmosphere of the right composition.

Given the parameters of "potentially earthlike", Mars fits.

[Sparko]

Mars?

Suggest downloading the data here and filtering to your desired characteristics.

I was talking about exoplanets.

Thanks for the table.

There is a star called 24 Sex.

[Sparko]

Given the parameters of "potentially earthlike", Mars fits.

I was wanting to know which would be the nearest exoplanet that could actually support earth type life. I said potential because at this time we have no way of knowing.

[One Bad Pig]

I was wanting to know which would be the nearest exoplanet that could actually support earth type life. I said potential because at this time we have no way of knowing.

Then you should have asked about that.

[Sparko]

Then you should have asked about that.

Thanks Roy.

[TheLurch]

I was wanting to know which would be the nearest exoplanet that could actually support earth type life. I said potential because at this time we have no way of knowing.

Probably one of the Trappist-1 planets. The star is prone to violent outbursts, but the planets are tidally locked, so there's going to be a lot of habitats that are partially shielded in perpetuity. Plus there's 3 planets roughly the right distance, which ups the odds.

[Sparko]

Probably one of the Trappist-1 planets. The star is prone to violent outbursts, but the planets are tidally locked, so there's going to be a lot of habitats that are partially shielded in perpetuity. Plus there's 3 planets roughly the right distance, which ups the odds.

So nothing promising in the Centauri system or Bernard's star?

[Starlight]

So nothing promising in the Centauri system or Bernard's star?

Searches for planets in both are ongoing. One planet slightly bigger than earth has been found in the Alpha Centauri system in the habitable zone. However, it is tidally locked meaning that one side always faces the nearest star (meaning it will get very hot) and one side always faces away from it (meaning it will get very cold), so that would present a challenge for life to survive there. Although that solar system has 3 stars in it orbiting each other, so weirdness.

Alpha Centauri is the nearest star system and it would take the fastest rocket we have ever created about 20,000 years to get there.

[TheLurch]

Yeah, as Starlight says, there is one planet at Alpha Cen B, but i figured having 3 in the habitable zone upped the odds.

[shunyadragon]

back to the topic:


What is the nearest potentially earthlike planet so far?

Maybe Titan

[One Bad Pig]

So nothing promising in the Centauri system or Bernard's star?

There was speculation a couple decades ago about habitable planets at Barnard's star, but IIRC that was ruled out by subsequent research.