New Planet Discovered In 2010 Gives Hope Of Extraterrestrial Life
By Naiwrita Sinha, Gaea News NetworkFriday, October 1, 2010
WASHINGTON (Gaea Times.com) - The science arena is abuzz with the discovery of a new planet in 2010 after more than a decade long research. The newly discovered planet Gliese 581g is located in the Libra constellation in a zone which is being referred to as the “Goldilocks zone”. Although the planet is supposedly close to earth, it is still about twenty light years away. The newly discovered planet is larger than earth and is said to have a mass which is at least three times that of earth. The planet was discovered using the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii after 11 years of observations of the parent star Gliese 581.
The discovery of the new planet has given new hopes for extraterrestrial life as the planet is located in a perfect location for harboring life. The planet is neither very hot nor very cold but as the planet rotates very slowly one side of it is cold and the other hot. The temperate zone in between is where life formation can occur. Steven Vogt, the one who made the announcement of the discovered planet on Wednesday said that he is hundred percent sure personally that there could be life on the planet. Given its strategic location the chances of the planet harboring water is there. This is one of the most important scientific discovery in 2010.
Though the chances of our visiting the new planet in 2010 or in the next few years seems to be negative. At the current speed with which rockets travel, it will take thousands of years to reach the planet though with the help of future technology the journey according to Steven Vogt will be completed in about 200 years. It seems that the newly discovered planet will have to wait for a few hundred years before it meets its earthly neighbors.
