Distant ‘Water-World’ Planet Confirmed

Posted By: JacobSloan Feb 22, 2012

_58626151_lores-1Will the hazy exoplanet GJ 1214b be the spa-resort getaway of the year 2100? BBC reports:

Astronomers have claimed the existence of a new class of planet: a “water-world” with a thick, steamy atmosphere. The exoplanet GJ 1214b, just 40 light-years away, is a so-called “Super Earth” – bigger than our planet, but smaller than gas giants such as Jupiter.

Observations using the Hubble telescope now seem to confirm that a large fraction of its mass is water. The planet’s high temperatures suggest exotic materials might exist there.

JacobSloan

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  • Simiantongue

    Aha!! Nobody has made any Kevin Costner jokes as of yet . This may be coup de grace of comedy I have been lying in wait for.

  • Malk

    you know that bugger is gonna be filled with giant sea monsters. that or some crazy society like “hardfought” by Greg Bear.

    • Erisoracle23

      The worst thing to happen would be to allow ignorant humans fuck up another planet

      • Erisoracle23

        always check your statement makes sense before u post. ha ha ha . amazing how the lack of the word (to) can shatter a sentence. ha ha

  • DJ Allyn

    Just imagine how much you would weigh there.

  • leo

    yes, you’d weigh 3 or 4 times your weight on earth and you’d boil to death once your probe/ship touches the water, or whatever liquid can be sustained at an
    average of over an 400 degrees

    • DJ Allyn

      Yep.  The one thing nobody talks about when these planets are discovered.

  • Monkey See Monkey Do

     “a “water-world” with a thick, steamy atmosphere”
    It’s a giant sauna

  • JaceD

    Life on other worlds? Nah, there can’t be. Water? Atmosphere? Nah, you need a God to create life.

  • Kyky Baby Cakes

    if it is bigger why are we on this pebble