7th March 2008

Just a model

posted in News, Science |

Remember that:  it’s just a model.

But this is way too cool to ignore:  Researchers performing planetary formation models on the Alpha Centauri system have found that every way they’ve run their models, they show Alpha Centauri B to have planets, and many times that happens, there’s a rocky planet within the distance to make water a liquid.

In other words, the model predicts that it’s highly likely that Alpha Centauri B has a rocky, watery planet at the right distance from one or the other of the suns to support life.

Whoa.

For those who don’t know, Alpha Centauri is the nearest star to our solar system, at 4.3 light years away.  Right now, of course, we haven’t got the technology to get there in any reasonable amount of time; a light year is a helluva long way away.  But still…

Whoa.

Time to aim Hubble or some other space telescope at Alpha Centauri, and start doing some real looking.

I am just about bouncing in my seat here!

(It’s just a model.  It’s just a model.  It’s just a model…)

There are currently 5 responses to “Just a model”

  1. 1 On March 7th, 2008, Mrs Figby said:

    That is So. Freaking. Cool. I’m bouncing too. (And you thought I only cared about hot shoes… Heh.)

  2. 2 On March 7th, 2008, Margaret said:

    Yeah, that makes me bounce, too!

  3. 3 On March 7th, 2008, GrannyJ said:

    Cool news! They should set that new Mt. Graham scope to work peering at Alpha Centauri B!

  4. 4 On March 8th, 2008, spacemom said:

    OMG, I know the second author of that paper (E.J. Rivera). I went to school with him…

  5. 5 On March 9th, 2008, omegamom said:

    Mrs. Figby–I know you’re not just about shoes! Now are you going to start writing your blog again???

    Margaret–Hi! I haven’t “seen” you for a while! How’re you doing?

    Mamasan–They should set *something* to peering there!

    Spacemom–How cool! You need to start propagandizing at your place of work to get something pointed at the star to take a look… ;)

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