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A step closer to detecting earth sized exoplanets

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  • 14-12-2008 10:37pm
    #1
    BenjAii
    Closed Accounts Posts: 545 ✭✭✭


    To me the search for earth-like exoplanets is by far the most exciting thing going on in astronomy at this time.

    Seems like 2009 is the year this could start happening ..... next step anayzing their atmospheres for signs of life.


    ""This new detector design is really going to change the way we study planets. It's the killer app for planet transits," said team member Joshua Winn of MIT. The precision of the camera is high enough to detect transits of much smaller planets than previously possible. It measures light to a precision of one part in 2,000. For the first time, scientists are approaching the precision needed to measure transits of Earth-size planets."

    http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/press-releases/JohnsonDec08/


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    #2
    AtomicHorror
    Registered Users Posts: 5,888 ✭✭✭AtomicHorror


    Good news. The last two years have already set new records for the rate of exoplanet detections (62 new planets for each year) and this year saw the detection of planets down to around 4 Earth masses. The field is in the process of taking off in a big way so I expect exciting things for the coming year.

    Thanks for the link!


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    #3
    Elem
    Closed Accounts Posts: 357 ✭✭Elem


    How many have we discovered in total?


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    #4
    BenjAii
    Closed Accounts Posts: 545 ✭✭✭BenjAii


    Elem wrote: »
    How many have we discovered in total?

    333 according to The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia


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    #5
    AtomicHorror
    Registered Users Posts: 5,888 ✭✭✭AtomicHorror


    BenjAii wrote: »
    333 according to The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia

    Yep, though that listing is confined to planets that are confirmed. Lots of candidates there too.


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