Smallest ever exoplanet discovered

[Lazar]

From the BBC:

Astronomers have announced the discovery of the lightest planet ever detected outside our Solar System.

Situated in the constellation Libra, it is only about twice as massive as the Earth, whereas most other exoplanets identified have been far bigger.

The scientists say the planet's orbit takes it far too close to its star Gliese 581 for life to be possible.

The detection was made by an international team of researchers using a 3.6m telescope at La Silla, Chile.

Not habitable, but hopefully this will be the beginning of a trend.

[stitch626]

That every planet we find outside of our system is still huge? Or that we'll find more uninhabited planets.

[Sionnach Glic]

Pretty cool.

[Lazar]

That every planet we find outside of our system is still huge? Or that we'll find more uninhabited planets.

No, that we'll be finding more and smaller planets in the future.

[stitch626]

That every planet we find outside of our system is still huge? Or that we'll find more uninhabited planets.

No, that we'll be finding more and smaller planets in the future.

Oh. At this rate it will still take a while for them to reach Earth size.

[Mark]

Yeah, unless we step up our exploration, we're not gonna be a massive space alliance in 300 years

[Captain Picard's Hair]

Yeah, unless we step up our exploration, we're not gonna be a massive space alliance in 300 years

Good thing the Vulcans will find us after WWIII, then.

Either that, or when we find life on a Big Earth they'll be giants.

[Foxfyre]

Or they will find life on a small earth and they will be midgets......and maybe blue......with long wavy hair......I think I just lost my mind 8)

[Captain Picard's Hair]

[Foxfyre]

yeah I agreed the thread got smurfed...

[Captain Picard's Hair]

I think I just lost my mind 8)

Did you look among your bunkmates' things? I wouldn't put it past men stuck at sea to misplace a fellow crewman's mind for amusement.

[Foxfyre]

LOL I'm back at homeport now I'm the usuall crazy now