I've been writting a story for a little while now, and as it's a sci-fi story, there is some space traveling. I have a very specific place in mind, but I want to be sure this place is at least plausible to exist in real life.
The specifications are:
It must be within 12 light years from our Sun.
Should be made mostly of water. (>=90%)
Needs to be in a non-lethal star system. (Not too much radiation, please!)
The other questions I'd like answered would be what would the maximum size of such a planet be, and under what circumstances, besides those I already mentioned, would life likely occur?
Beyond that, I believe I have what I need. Thanks for any help.
2007-09-19 19:49:42 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
sounds fine.keep it the same distance as say mars earth or venus and it should be believe able.
sizes between mars and earth will work.
check here for ideas
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/messenger/psc/PlanetSize.html
12 light years from our sun, no problem. it of course will have its OWN star to orbit.
heres a nice map of all stars within 12.5 light years from us
http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/12lys.html
looks like we got:
luyten's star
procyon
g51-15
ross 128
wolf 359
lalana 21185
struve 2398
ross 248
barnard's star
61 cygni
sirius
alpha proxima
alpha centauri
groombridge 34
ross 154
l372-58
l726-8
l725-32
l789-6
lacaille 9352
? eridani
? ceti
? Indi
research them at wiki and then poof
2007-09-19 19:59:58 · answer #1 · answered by Mercury 2010 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A couple of good ones alluded to in a previous answer are Tau Ceti (in the constellation Cetus) and Epsilon Eridani (in Eridanus). Both are a litte dimmer and cooler than our sun, being more towards orange. This may mean that the middle of the day would have sunlight more like we see later in the afternoon.
Isaac Asimov used them as being among the first settled stars in some of his novels. The planets are hypothetical, of course. I don't think any have yet been detected around those stars
2007-09-19 21:41:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need a host star very much like our sun. Our nearest star neighbors are Proxima Centauri and Alpha Centauri, both within 8 light years.
Your planet might be better to be like the earth only with its surface covered mainly by water. I don't think a planet made almost entirely of water would work particularly well. It should be around the same size as the earth or Venus and about the same distance from the host star.
You could resort to making it a moon to a great gaseous planet like Jupiter, but the host planet should be closer to the host star than Jupiter is to our sun. That could allow a cooler host star.
2007-09-19 19:58:43 · answer #3 · answered by Warren D 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It would have to be closer to another star other wise it would be too cold. It would have to be at a temperature that water does freeze up. It would also couldn't be much bigger than our planet other wise the gravity would be too strong and crush the life. It would also have to be a rock planet not a gas one. That going by all current understanding of the universe I mean it we could travel a little further maybe would could understand more.
2007-09-19 19:55:50 · answer #4 · answered by daboss 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be possible to exist a planet like that because nobody know our universe exactly. Keep up your works.
2007-09-19 20:05:32 · answer #5 · answered by discoveryman 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes
2007-09-21 04:27:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋