Astronomers identify most likely habitable Earthlike planet yet that no-one reading this will ever live on

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/05/25/nasa-identifies-most-likely-habitable-earthlike-planet-yet-that-no-one-reading-this-will-ever-live-on.html

7 Likes

So, just like the Kessel Run, basically. Where’s the problem?

21 Likes

I know a habitable planet worth living on. You’re living on it right now.

This does NOT get said enough, FFS. :heart:

23 Likes

Gliese 12 b orbits slightly closer than the inner edge of its star’s habitable zone, with an insolation between those of Earth and Venus.[6] Its equilibrium temperature, assuming zero albedo, is 315 K (42 °C; 107 °F); if it has an atmosphere, the surface temperature would be greater than this.[5]

8 Likes

“Habitable” (in theory) by something - just not, you know, us.

9 Likes

… I suppose it could be cooler at the poles, or on the dark side if it’s tide-locked :thinking:

6 Likes

Which seems like would create its own set of problems making it uninhabitable for humans.

3 Likes

Zero albedo is an odd assumption though. If the surface isn’t all covered in black obsidian it would probably be a little cooler instead.

7 Likes

… for future reference

Equilibrium Temperatures of Planets

Planetary equilibrium temperature - Wikipedia

EDIT: apparently the Earth is 40°C warmer than its “equilibrium,” so I guess we’re supposed to assume an “earthlike” planet would be too

Gliese 12b’s equilibrium temperature is 55°C higher than ours, which would make the tropics uninhabitable but maybe not the poles

3 Likes

You don’t know me, or how I vote!

2 Likes

Huh. Interesting.
I thought someone had told me awhile ago that conditions around red dwarf stars were not expected to be great for Earth-like worlds. A quick search now finds a whole Wikipedia article pointing out complications with the idea.

4 Likes

You beat me

I can see Earth from my house.

Seriously, the headline on Space.com called this planet 'tantalizingly close" at 40 light years. We are NOT leaving this solar system, people, and all the other planets around here are not earth-like.

6 Likes

Tantalizing from the story of Tantalus, who was tormented with the sight of things he wanted but could never actually reach. Sounds about right.

10 Likes

Does that mean it’s really closer to 13 parsecs?

image

2 Likes

Texas-style welcome sign on Gliese 12b’s outermost moon: WELCOME. DO NOT DECELERATE. CONTINUE APPROACH FOR PLANET GRAVITY ASSIST FOR DEPARTURE FROM OUR SYSTEM… HONYOCKER.

2 Likes

Anton did a nice summary of this one.

3 Likes

I really don’t get the snark. Who cares that we’ll never live on it? Finding strong evidence of even moderately Earth-like planets, so close by astronomically speaking, is a huge find. It suggests planets we can expect to capable of supporting (some form of) life are likely to be very common, not some rare fluke. Yes, we have been slowly learning that over the past few decades as more and more data came in. But still, this is just genuinely cool.

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.