[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by nota

looks like the page is GONE

MAYBE THE PLANET TOO

Here is the article...

Scientists discover a new planet they’ve deemed as a Super Earth in our solar system
Read more at http://nerdreactor.com/2015/12/11/scientists-discover-a-new-planet-theyve-deemed-as-a-super-earth-in-our-solar-system/#DxM6bO8CqAQ3gF2U.99

With our recent exploration of Mars, we still haven’t scratched the surface of our known universe. In fact, the Moon is the only planetary body that humans have actually set foot on. That accomplishment during the 1960s is something that we’re all proud of because humans by default are curious by nature. Ancient historical figures stood against the criticism of their peers just to sail into the beyond to prove our planet is not flat. Our planet is almost completely explored, with the exception of our oceans, and it looks like scientists are reaching further into the depths of space.Scientists recently discovered a planet in the Alpha Centauri system that they’ve deemed as a “Super Earth”. Here’s what said about this discovery.


Astronomers using data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have found a distant object in the direction of Alpha Centauri. The object appears to be in the outer region of our solar system, and depending on its distance could be a hypothesized ”super-Earth.”

In 2014, ALMA found a faint object in the direction of Alpha Centauri A & B. The object was again observed in May of this year, this time more clearly. Given that the object is within a few arcseconds of the Alpha Centauri system, it would seem reasonable to presume that it could be part of that system, possibly gravitationally bound as Alpha Centauri D. The Centauri system is about 4 light years away, and at that distance (given the object’s brightness at submillimeter wavelengths) it would have to be a red dwarf star. But such a star would also be clearly visible in the infrared, so if this object is Alpha Centauri D we should have seen it long ago.

Another possibility (which seems more likely to the object’s discoverers) is that it is about 300 AU away and about 1.5 times the size of Earth, making it the first “super-Earth” found in our solar system.


image: http://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/superearth1-800x456.png?394dcb
superearth1
This new is actually pretty exciting since this planet is within our solar system. Of course, the fact that it’s 4 light years away might be a problem, but put it in this perspective: When Magellan, Sir Francis Drake, and Columbus, sailed their ships into the watery unknown, they didn’t know what they would find; however their discoveries have helped to shape the world as it is now. Imagine the possibilities of humans finally being able to traverse into the blackness of space towards this “super earth” or other earthen-like planets to see what life are on those planets. I think that would be both exciting and scary at the same time because we would see creatures that are not native to what we’ve seen here on earth.


image: http://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Alien1-800x518.jpg?394dcb
Alien1
Picture by: http://orig15.deviantart.net/bcb5/f/2010/230/4/c/bullmonkey_by_kineticflow.jpg

Before we jump on whatever creatures live on those planets, I want you to first think about our warning labels here on earth. Those warning labels and signs were created because some poor unfortunate soul decided to drink the bleach or pet the friendly alligator in the water. Well, the first explorers are going to have to witness and then deal with unknown creatures that like on an alien planet. Finding new life and a new world to live is absolutely exciting to me, being killed by a random unknown insect bite or being eaten alive by an actual Sarlacc Pit is not. Whatever happens in the future, let’s hope we don’t destroy our current planet just to get to the new one.

Read more at http://nerdreactor.com/2015/12/11/scientists-discover-a-new-planet-theyve-deemed-as-a-super-earth-in-our-solar-system/#DxM6bO8CqAQ3gF2U.99