Possible Habitable Planet Just 12 Light Years Away 420
sciencehabit writes "Astronomers have discovered what may be five planets orbiting Tau Ceti, the closest single star beyond our solar system whose temperature and luminosity nearly match the sun's. If the planets are there, one of them is about the right distance from the star to sport mild temperatures, oceans of liquid water, and even life (paper)."
Where's the queue? (Score:5, Funny)
I've got my own helmet. Where do I sign up?
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:5, Funny)
Cheyenne Mountain oops I said to much.
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:4, Funny)
Just send a B Ship full of your Republicans, climate denialists, gun nuts and all the other right-wingers around the world.
They can propel themselves there with bombastic hot air, and they'll fuck everything up enough that we'll never see that planet again. Of course, if the other guys have had the same idea, we'll need a strategy to deflect them. Pretending we're gay might seem like a good idea, but before you know it, they'll be "adopting a wide orbital stance" and stalk us forever.
Suggestions anyone?
Re:"JUST" 12 light years? LOL. (Score:5, Funny)
Could you get more by slingshotting around the sun?
Yeah, but you'll end up in San Francisco in 1986 so it won't do you any good.
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:5, Funny)
Who is much?
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:0, Funny)
Nah. Blue Paint and Size XXXXXXX Condoms.
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:5, Funny)
You're forgetting that we can see our own TV signals, sent out and then reflected back at us by an unknown source from 47 years ago [rimmell.com]. If a low quality mirror is enough to span 47 light years, than a direct view of something 12 light years away should be fine.
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:5, Funny)
AGGGH just noticed the date on that article. I'm such a tool.
Re:"JUST" 12 light years? LOL. (Score:0, Funny)
LDS is the nym generally ascribed to the church of latter day saints. I suspect you meant LSD.
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:5, Funny)
Great. Now I've got to go back and watch them again. It just occurred to me to wonder whether the Antarctica gate flushes in the other direction.
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:5, Funny)
Helmet? What about a towel?
So you're planning to hitchhike to Tau Ceti? You do know it's off season and the hotel rates are insane? You don't even want to know what a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster will set you back.
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:1, Funny)
Noise? No. Sound? Yes. It is precisely how we understand our own sun. It is not by light but by sound.
There is a nice lecture titled "Songs of the Stars" by Don Kurtz from the University of Central Lancashire. It can be found here: http://feeds.tvo.org/tvobigideas [tvo.org]
The podcast is called Stellar Seismology. Enjoy.
Shakespeare, among all other poets and artists, was correct. Even the dead poets and artists are still light years ahead of the early 20th century scientist. Modern scientists are just a regression of their predecessor; there are very few scientists today who merit such a title.
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:5, Funny)
it was determined that at TV frequencies the Earth was the brightest (known) object in the galaxy.
That is until they learn to decode the signals. Then they will stop thinking we are bright.
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:5, Funny)
So basically it is like high school dating on a galactic scale?
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:5, Funny)
Hello out there! Any potential overlords looking for a slave race that's advanced enough to be useful without being able to defend itself effectively? And might be tasty?
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:4, Funny)
It was just Stargate Voyager. Stargate DS9 was fun while it lasted, but neither were as good as the original.
Re:It goes the other way, too (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:5, Funny)
Dude, it's Tau Ceti. Khan lives there!!!
Re:Where's the queue? (Score:4, Funny)
So you're planning to hitchhike to Tau Ceti? You do know it's off season and the hotel rates are insane? You don't even want to know what a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster will set you back.
A properly made Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster will set you back into infancy, no matter what the season.