Tag: space

NASA finds seven life-supporting planets only 40 light-years away

Trappist_1_system
Only a drawing, not an actual photograph of the Trappist-1 system. Drawing from: CNN Online

The headline: NASA finds seven life-supporting planets only 40 light-years away.

fyi: These seven planets are orbiting the dwarf star Trappist-1 and are very, very far awayyyy.

Things to know before you book your flight…

  1. These planets are at least 40 light-years away. So, very far away. Note: 1 Light Year = 9.5 trillion kilometers.
  2. Though they may be capable of supporting a basic life system, they may not have high-speed and may still be using dial-up.
  3. Because Trappist-1 is a dwarf star, you would receive 200 times less light than you do from our current Sun. So, pre-tanning: not necessary.
  4. Trappist-1 is quite a bit younger than our Sun and will likely continue for another trillion years after our Sun fades.
  5. If on your journey, you see Megatron, Loki and a bunch of Romulans, just mind your own business and don’t get involved.
  6. Did we mention, it’s very far awayyyy?!
Yes, very, very far awayyyy.
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Mike’s top five signs it’s a #StarWars #Thanksgiving

image from http://stephenhayford.com
Star Wars Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving weekend (here in Canada) and I’m thinking about doing a “Star Wars” themed dinner this year. Mike’s top five signs it’s a Star Wars Thanksgiving.

#5. Count Dooku cuts off your right arm after you pass him the stuffing.

#4. Every few minutes someone says “Luke… use the fork…”.

#3. Your friends Howard, Sheldon and Leonard can make it to dinner, but Penny is “too busy” to make it.

#2. Instead of the Heimlich Maneuver, if someone is choking, you just slit them open like a Tauntaun with your light-saber and crawl inside for a look.

#1. Sith’s won’t pass anything to Wookiees!

also… Sith’s also won’t eat wookies for Thanksgiving. They find them a little chewy. Thnx Bill!

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3 Billion Mile (9 year) Road Trip in Space

The New Horizons spacecraft just flew past Pluto, after traveling 3 billion miles (9 years).

Top five things about being on a super long, nine year road trip in space…

#5. You’re super tired of constantly converting local time to Earth time.

#4. You find a good radio station and then 100,000 miles later – it’s gone.

#3. You get stuck behind one of those NASA transport spacecraft that rides along in the left lane for years and years!

#2. You pass Megatron, Loki a bunch of Romulans going the other way (but you don’t want to get involved, so you don’t call anyone).

#1. You’re totally shocked and saddened to find out The Pussycat Dolls broke-up! (5 years ago!)

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17 Billion Earths – Top 5 signs there's life on one

Planets
Planets around stars in the Milky Way. (M. Kornmesser /ESA/NASA)

Out of roughly 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, a new analysis of Kepler data shows that around 17 percent of them have Earth-sized planets orbiting them, meaning there could be as many as 17 billion Earth-sized worlds. Kepler’s mission is to find and document Earth-sized planets at greater distances. The more planets discovered with Earth-like orbits in the habitable zone, the greater the chances of extraterrestrial life.

Being a similar size to Earth isn’t the only qualification for a life-sustaining planet, there are other criteria…

#5. Does it contain the essentials elements for building and sustaining life (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus – arguably iron as well.)?

#4. Is it nice and warm during parts of the year and a little chillier during other parts of the year?

#3. Are there little people all making noises, yelling, waving and holding big signs saying “this speck contains life”? (ala Horton Hears a Who) #2. Is it pristine and beautiful and does it contain enough inner wealth so we might lay it to waste in an orgy of self indulgence?

#1. Do they have at least one Tim Hortons?!

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