Archive for 'Uncategorized' Category
When Will We Know?
4 May 2007While it's still one of the best bets available, it is still uncertain as to whether Gliese 581c is truly "Earth like…." So when will we know? According to a Nature article published on the 3rd of May, "…if the geometry is right, [Sasselov's] team should see the star dim on 7 May as the […]
How on Earth did they Find It?
30 April 2007Just briefly, in a previous post, I mentioned HARPS (High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher), the instrument used to first detect the presence of Gliese 581c. Detecting the presence of a star in a distant galaxy requires enough technology as it is, but finding a planet around a star is quite a chore! Here's a […]
Viewing Gliese 581c with a Telescope
25 April 2007Due to Gliese's size and distance (20.40 light years away), it isn't visible with the naked eye. But for you astronomers out there with telescopes, here's some information compliments of http://www.sky-map.org.
Sky Map is a great (and free) star catalog, especially if you haven't invested in expensive astronomy software!
The Data:
Constellation: LibraRight ascension: 15h19m27.51sDeclination: -07°43'19.4"Apparent magnitude: […]
The Discovery of Gliese 581c
25 April 2007A discovery revealed to the world on the April 24th, 2007, Gliese 581c is being heralded as the most probable candidate for a "Second Earth" to date. An older planet, the possibility for life is much higher than on any previous planetary discoveries, claim scientists. The discovery was made by HARPS (High Accuracy Radial Velocity […]