I am writing a sci/fi book and I would like it to be as close to earth as I can in space. Are there any planets in orbit to a near by star that are like earth that are known? And not earth itself.
2006-08-30 06:31:18 · 9 answers · asked by Elizabeth S 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
http://tpf.jpl.nasa.gov/earthlike/earth-like.html
http://www.wsws.org/science/1998/may1998/plan-m5.shtml
2006-08-31 21:25:29 · answer #1 · answered by hamdi_batriyshah 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At present we have yet to find a system with a single star a single satellite and giant planets in the outskirts of the system that would deflect any asteroids, comets, or other debris that would wipe out any life that might arise on that planet. Keep in mind too that your planet would need some cataclysmic event that would enable your life forms to develop superior intellect if your want your planet to have a intelligent dominant form of life. Keep in mind for most its history Earth was dominated by bacteria then simple life forms. Not until there were massive extinctions and change did selective evolutionary changes take place on a large scale. Life on earth is based on carbon based life forms. With your imagination they could be silica based. Since we know so little you are not limited to what your imagination could create. How about a planet where Squid like creatures dominate? If you use a "multiverse" model a parallel Earth could be your setting only in another dimension. Read Michael Crichton's Timeline for ideas on parallel universes. Have some fun with this,
2006-08-30 06:51:05 · answer #2 · answered by Rico E Suave 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
at the rate of our technology today it could take about 10 to 20 years to find a planet the same as the earth (or perhaps i could be wrong)You see pinpointing the excact location of such planet requires many weeks of observation if we are using the present tech. The good news is there are planets that are as far as mars and for your info mars is still in a habitable zone just like the earth.
2006-09-02 23:47:08 · answer #3 · answered by arcturus pendragon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately our current technology is not good enough to detect Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. There are probably there, we just can't detect them yet. For more info about the search for extra-solar planets than you could ever have wanted to know, go here: http://exoplanets.org/
2006-08-30 06:34:58 · answer #4 · answered by kris 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, the nearest stars is too far away to currently detect anything about the planets that orbit them. You'll just have to make one up like other sci-fi writers, it is a noble tradition and a good mental exercise. Good Luck
2006-08-30 06:35:30 · answer #5 · answered by roamin70 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
PLUTO! lol JK it's not a planet. Poor, poor, Pluto, your sudden departure is putting me through Post Traumatic Stress Syndromen. Oh, how I miss you Pluto.
2006-08-30 06:37:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
That still are... no. But they say that Mars was a long time ago green and had water flowing on it. It still has icecaps on the poles.
2006-08-30 06:43:11 · answer #7 · answered by bizkit_ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think they've found any small ones. small ones are too hard to find. they tend to only find gas giants.
2006-08-30 06:40:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately we don't know that answer
2006-08-30 06:40:12 · answer #9 · answered by bprice215 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋