Kepler Discovers First "Goldilocks" Planet

[pianodwarf]

Dubbed Kepler-22b, it is the first planet to be confirmed as residing in the Goldilocks zone (although there are other candidate planets also awaiting confirmation).  It's also fairly close to the size of the Earth, relatively speaking.  (A scale image is provided.)

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/news/kepscicon-briefing.html

[Nick]

Get the missionaries ready.

[relativetruth]

Get the missionaries ready.

Venus and Mars are also in the Goldilocks zone.

Maybe we should send the missionaries there to toughen then up first? Then thru a process of evolution we get the right sort for a 600 light year journey

[Tykster]

With a gravity that is 2.4 x earth's gravity it would be interesting to see what kind of lifeforms would evolve....

[pianodwarf]

With a gravity that is 2.4 x earth's gravity it would be interesting to see what kind of lifeforms would evolve....

True, but on the other hand, we also don't know what the planet's gravity is yet.  The planet's radius is 2.4 times that of Earth's, but that doesn't necessarily say anything about how strong its gravitational field is.  That depends not only on the size of the planet, but also its composition.  Titan, for example, is significantly larger than the planet Mercury, but its gravitational field is only slightly greater than Mercury's because Mercury is denser.

[Tykster]

^^^^^^^^^

Yep. I was assuming a similar composition to earth...

[relativetruth]

With a gravity that is 2.4 x earth's gravity it would be interesting to see what kind of lifeforms would evolve....

If gravity was the only difference between this planet and earth the lifeforms would be a bit smaller and slower than the average on Earth.
I suspect the mutation rate for their DNA would not be affected by gravity and would be be similar to that on Earth.

[kin hell]

catch 22b

To two two B or not to two two B: that is the quest....
Whether 'tis nobler in the mimed to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms (.22bee bee) against a sea of tribbles...



The question really should be whether or not the space out there deserves this irrational monkey plague?

The Invasion of the Earthlings!!!      a documentary

....of course the geocentric religions will evolve to fill the niche    .........pesky little critters.


nice link Piano

[Irish]

I suspect the mutation rate for their DNA would not be affected by gravity and would be be similar to that on Earth.

This assumes many things, such as the life-forms using DNA as their genetic material, what enzymatic systems they use to correct mutations, the amount of radiation on the planet, reproduction rates, etc.

[screwtape]

With a gravity that is 2.4 x earth's gravity it would be interesting to see what kind of lifeforms would evolve....

if the density (composition) is the same, the gravity would be about 80 times greater.   The reason is gravity is calculated based on the square of the diameter and the mass is based on the cube of it (assuming the same density).  so, if a planet is x times larger in diameter, that makes the gravity x^5 times greater.  The math:

g=Gmr²

if earth's gravity is:

g_e= Gm_er_e²

and the new planet's gravity is:

g_p= Gm_pr_p²

and r_p=2.4r_e
then...
g_p= Gm_p(2.48 * r_e)²
or
g_p= 5.76 * Gm_pr_e²

for mass...
Volume of new planet = 4/3 pi (2.4 * r_e)³
V_p = 13.82 * V_e
if the density is equal then the relationship between the mass of planets is direct:
m_p= 13.82 * m_e

So,
g_p= 5.76 * G(13.82 * m_e)r_e²
g_p= 79.63* Gm_er_e²

g_p= 79.63 * g_e

So, if you weigh 200 lbs on earth, on kepler - 22b you would weigh almost 16,000 lb.  That is 8 tons. Not very hospitable to human life.

I imagine if life evolved on this planet, it would be extremely small and live suspended in liquids.  Flight would be improbable as would any kind of land based organism that had a musculo-skeletal system.  Only oozing things - slimes, mildews, maybe lichens - would be able to function on land.

Something like this:

[Hatter23]

I suspect the mutation rate for their DNA would not be affected by gravity and would be be similar to that on Earth.

This assumes many things, such as the life-forms using DNA as their genetic material, what enzymatic systems they use to correct mutations, the amount of radiation on the planet, reproduction rates, etc.

Heck that even assumes a true atmosphere.

[relativetruth]

With a gravity that is 2.4 x earth's gravity it would be interesting to see what kind of lifeforms would evolve....

if the density (composition) is the same, the gravity would be about 80 times greater.   The reason is gravity is calculated based on the square of the diameter and the mass is based on the cube of it (assuming the same density).  so, if a planet is x times larger in diameter, that makes the gravity x^5 times greater.  The math:

g=Gmr²

I Thought the formula for the force of gravity on Earth was

F=Gm/r²

where m is the mass of the Earth.

This is because the force reduces the further you get away from the centre of the earth.

If a planet has a S times bigger radius than Earth the volume of the new planet is S³ times bigger than Earth  the surface is also S times further from the centre of gravity.

If M is the mass of the new planet which had the same density as Earth then

M = S³m

and F= GS³m/S²r²

The expression S³ / S² can be reduced just S

so F =GSm/r²        where r is the radius of the Earth.

i.e just S times stronger force of gravity at the surface of the planet.

[Poseidon]

Math and physics guys and girls are cool!

[Poseidon]

And the apparent attraction of objects obey the inverse square rule.  Sometimes incorrectly referred to as Coulombs law. 

[dloubet]

Screwtape, is that a low-cut spacesuit I see in that picture. (Facepalm)

As soon as she's out of that suit, I'm gonna get me some 8 ton lovin'.  ;-)

[Tykster]

<snip>

Here's an informative look at it, and this little graphic helps too



Edit - removed the "glow" feature from "Here's" - it was disturbing the link apparently...

[velkyn]

this is a bit of an aside but I have a question about all of these planets that have been found.  A lot of them supposedly have crazy short orbits of their suns at tiny distances and the planets are quite large.  Has anyone seen anything about how these planets could withstand such forces?  I've not had any luck in finding much on this and my curiosity was jogged by a crazily spinning star: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-12-vlt-fastest-rotating-star.html 

[screwtape]

I Thought the formula for the force of gravity on Earth was

F=Gm/r²

You are right.  oh my goodness, I screwed that up. Thanks for the correction.

I miscopied the formula and didn't think about what it meant

ed - fixed quotes

[Tykster]

I Thought the formula for the force of gravity on Earth was

F=Gm/r²

You are right.  oh my goodness, I screwed that up. Thanks for the correction.

I miscopied the formula and didn't think about what it meant

Well, at least you got the picture right...