EARTH'S TWIN PLANET

THIS IS PRETTY COOL. OF COURSE, WE KNOW THERE ARE MILLIONS OF HABITABLE PLACES WITHIN THE UNIVERSE - WORLDS WITHOUT END.

THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE - JUST SCIENCE BACKING REVEALED RELIGION....

Scientists have discovered a planet not much bigger than our Earth that may also be covered in oceans and has the right temperature to support life, about 20.5 light years away.

Scientists believe that by 2020, it will be possible for a telescope to take a close look at the planet, which has not yet been named, to search if there are signs of life.

It is the smallest planet yet discovered outside the solar system, and has about twice the gravitational pull of our planet. Creatures on the planet would need thick bones and sturdy legs due to the stronger gravitational pull.

This newly discovered planet revolves around the star known as Gliese 581, a red dwarf in the Libra constellation. It is older than our solar system and its year lasts only 13 days, since it is 14 times closer to its star than the Earth is to the our Sun. That is a very good sign, because red dwarfs are less than half the size of the sun, and cooler. In the area where the planet has been discovered, surface temperatures would be very similar to Earth’s between 0C and 40C (32-104 F) just right for oceans to have formed and life to flourish.

Astronomers also say—based on high tech models and density-mass calculations—this quasi-Earth’s surface is either rocky or ocean-covered—both Earth-like geographical qualities. With the discovery of Earth’s twin come high hopes of large strides forward in the search for .

"Liquid water is critical to life as we know it and because of its temperature and relative proximity, this planet will most probably be a very important target of the future space missions dedicated to the search for extra-terrestrial life. On the treasure map of the Universe, one would be tempted to mark this planet with an X," added Xavier Delfosse, a member of the team from Grenoble University, France.

The planet was found by Swiss, French and Portuguese astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's 3.6m telescope at La Silla in Chile.

Posted by Rebecca Sato

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