Forwarding message from ASTRONET
Originally by: Charles Pierson, 2:240/1120.976
Original date: 11/11/20 8:13 AM
Subject: Study Suggests There Are 300 Million
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Hello, All.


Study Suggests There Are 300 Million Potentially Habitable Worlds in Our Galaxy

November 9, 2020



By Tim Binnall

An exhaustive new study from NASA has concluded that there could be a whopping 300 million habitable worlds in the Milky Way galaxy. The intriguing determination reportedly came by way of a two-year-long project in which 44 astronomers studied data collected by the Kepler Telescope. Seen as the culmination of that exoplanet-hunting spacecraft's work, one of the scientists on the team marveled to the New York Times that "this is the science result we've all been waiting for" and "the reason that Kepler was selected for flight in December 2001."

Specifically, the team combed through the voluminous Kepler data and found that "half the stars similar in temperature to our Sun could have a rocky planet capable of supporting liquid water on its surface." Taking into account insights gleaned from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, which looked at the type of energy emitted from these stars and how it is absorbed by the planets that orbit them, they ultimately came to the figure of 300 million potentially habitable exoplanets in our galaxy based on "the most conservative estimate that 7% of Sun-like stars host such worlds." Considering that is a cautious guess, scientists say, the true number of such exoplanets could be significantly higher.

While that enormous number should give optimism to those hoping to eventually find some kind of intelligent life out there in space, some researchers cautioned that one might wish to temper their expectations. That's because scientists have yet to identify an exoplanet which is the same size as Earth and possesses a matching orbit around a Sun-like star, which are, as of yet, the only conditions known to produce life. Be that as it may, it stands to reason that there ought to be at least one such world among the 300 million theoretically habitable exoplanets in our galaxy. How long it may take us to find it, of course, remains to be seen.


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On 11-11-20 09:40, Charles Pierson wrote to All <=-

Study Suggests There Are 300 Million Potentially Habitable Worlds in
Our Galaxy

Wow. It will be interesting to see what proportion of those planets in the habitable zone are actually habitable, and how many actually support life. And specificallt what those worlds have in common (including Earth). :)


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Hello, Tony Langdon.
On 11/12/20 8:06 PM you wrote:

On 11-11-20 09:40, Charles Pierson wrote to All <=-

Study Suggests There Are 300 Million Potentially Habitable Worlds
in Our Galaxy

Wow. It will be interesting to see what proportion of those
planets in the habitable zone are actually habitable, and how many actually support life. And specificallt what those worlds have in
common (including Earth). :)

I'm still stunned they are finding planets based on the flickering of the star as it passes in front of our view.

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On 11-12-20 06:22, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

I'm still stunned they are finding planets based on the flickering of
the star as it passes in front of our view.

Yes, that's a pretty impressive technical feat. :)


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Hello, Tony Langdon.
On 11/13/20 8:43 PM you wrote:

On 11-12-20 06:22, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

I'm still stunned they are finding planets based on the
flickering of the star as it passes in front of our view.

Yes, that's a pretty impressive technical feat. :)

It really is. But with the distances involved, I suppose that there isn't another way to do it.



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On 11-13-20 06:11, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

It really is. But with the distances involved, I suppose that there
isn't another way to do it.

Actually, there's several methods for discovering exoplanets, which include:

Radial velocity - detecting the "wobble" of the star as planets orbit it. And they can detect multiple planets here. This works by using Doppler shift of the light from the star.

Direct imaging - yes, in some rare cases, it is possible!

Gravitational microlensing - seeing the effect of the planet's gravity on distant starlight passing by.

Astrometry - Similar to radial velocity, except looking at how the position of the host star changes as it "wobbles" with the orbiting planets, instead of Doppler shift.

And of course, we've been discussing the transit method in this thread.

Ref: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/alien-worlds/ways-to-find-a-planet/#


There are other methods, but they are still fairly experimental. :)


... But that trick never works! -Rocky
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Hello, Tony Langdon.
On 11/14/20 8:55 PM you wrote:

On 11-13-20 06:11, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

It really is. But with the distances involved, I suppose that
there isn't another way to do it.

Actually, there's several methods for discovering exoplanets,
which include: Radial velocity - detecting the "wobble" of the
star as planets orbit it. And they can detect multiple planets
here. This works by using Doppler shift of the light from the
star. Direct imaging - yes, in some rare cases, it is possible! Gravitational microlensing - seeing the effect of the planet's
gravity on distant starlight passing by. Astrometry - Similar to
radial velocity, except looking at how the position of the host
star changes as it "wobbles" with the orbiting planets, instead of Doppler shift. And of course, we've been discussing the transit
method in this thread. Ref: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/alien-worlds/ways-to-find-a-planet/#
There are other methods, but they are still fairly experimental.
:)

I stand corrected, although, honestly, many of those methods do seem variations of a theme.

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On 11-14-20 06:24, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

I stand corrected, although, honestly, many of those methods do seem variations of a theme.

Some are variations, but not all. :)

Radial Velocity was the leading method in the early years, but Keplet changed that, with its use of the transit method.


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Hello, Tony Langdon.
On 11/16/20 6:53 PM you wrote:

On 11-14-20 06:24, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

I stand corrected, although, honestly, many of those methods do
seem variations of a theme.

Some are variations, but not all. :) Radial Velocity was the
leading method in the early years, but Keplet changed that, with
its use of the transit method.

I'll have to go back and read up on those methods.

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On 11-16-20 06:29, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

I'll have to go back and read up on those methods.

Yes, worth a read. It's a fascinating area of both science and engineering. Finding these planets is one thing, getting there is going to take a LOT longer! :D


... I'm frequently appalled by the low regard you Earthmen have for life.
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Hello, Tony Langdon.
On 11/17/20 6:33 PM you wrote:

On 11-16-20 06:29, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

I'll have to go back and read up on those methods.

Yes, worth a read. It's a fascinating area of both science and engineering. Finding these planets is one thing, getting there is
going to take a LOT longer! :D

Much, much longer.

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On 11-17-20 06:32, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

Yes, worth a read. It's a fascinating area of both science and engineering. Finding these planets is one thing, getting there is
going to take a LOT longer! :D

Much, much longer.

Indeed. Wonder if we'll ever find a way to get there in a convenient amount of time. :)


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Hello, Tony Langdon.
On 11/19/20 7:12 PM you wrote:

On 11-17-20 06:32, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

Yes, worth a read. It's a fascinating area of both science and
engineering. Finding these planets is one thing, getting there
is going to take a LOT longer! :D

Much, much longer.

Indeed. Wonder if we'll ever find a way to get there in a
convenient amount of time. :)

Anything is possible.

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On 11-19-20 20:52, Charles Pierson wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

Indeed. Wonder if we'll ever find a way to get there in a
convenient amount of time. :)

Anything is possible.

Given enough time, and there's still a lot about fundamental physics that we don't know.


... Never assume the obvious is true!
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Forwarding message from ASTRONET
Originally by: Charles Pierson, 2:240/1120.976
Original date: 11/11/20 8:13 AM
Subject: Study Suggests There Are 300 Million

An exhaustive new study from NASA has concluded that there could be a whopping 300 million habitable worlds in the Milky Way galaxy..

I can just picture these scientists "exhausted" and slumped over their desks.

:)

I am not entirely impressed by the study. Is it really any different than saying
"with enough monkeys, they could write Shakespeare".
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