Scientists find most Earth-like planet yet

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2007/April/theworld_April638.xml§ion=theworld

WASHINGTON - European astronomers have spotted what they say is the most Earth-like planet yet outside our solar system, with balmy temperatures that could support water and, potentially, life.

They have not directly seen the planet, orbiting a red dwarf star called Gliese 581. But measurements of the star suggest that a planet not much larger than the Earth is pulling on it, the researchers say in a letter to the editor of the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

“This one is the first one that is at the same time probably rocky, with water, and in a zone close to the star where the water could exist in liquid form,” said Stephane Udry of the Geneva Observatory in Switzerland, who led the study.

“We have estimated that the mean temperature of this super-Earth lies between 0 and 40 degrees Celsius (32 to 104 degrees F), and water would thus be liquid.”

That means I got mineral rights to that world, too. Halliburton can't touch it. :evilgrin:

and all the women were beautiful and scantily clad.

AND, they spoke English!

And 'gravity' was just like ours.

Though there were some deadly plants...