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First Direct Image Of A Planet Outside Our Solar System...

by Thomas
7 replies
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All 300+ known planets outside our solar system have been detected indirectly.

Here's the first one directly detected:

Out of this World Pictures: First Direct Photos of Exoplanets: Scientific American

It doesn't look like much but, when the first planet was indirectly detected, there was an avalanche of similar findings immediately after (Hundredth Monkey Effect?).

Might be just the nerd in me but I thought this was pretty cool. I wonder how long before we can photograph ET waving up at us?

Tommy.
  • Profile picture of the author Ken Strong
    Originally Posted by Thomas View Post

    I wonder how long before we can photograph ET waving up at us?
    Waving down at us, you mean. The other planets are all up there; we're down here. Basic Astronomy 101.
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    • Profile picture of the author tommyp
      Originally Posted by KenStrong View Post

      Waving down at us, you mean. The other planets are all up there; we're down here. Basic Astronomy 101.
      Depends on the perspective. If you see the Earth from one of these planets you're looking up at it or ahead not down otherwise it would be below the horizon point and you wouldn't see it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Wright
      Originally Posted by KenStrong View Post

      Waving down at us, you mean. The other planets are all up there; we're down here. Basic Astronomy 101.
      Lateral thinking is better.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Ellis
    To be super-nerdy technical, up/down has no meaning when comparing two objects in space, but I think we understand what we're saying here. lol
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  • Profile picture of the author gareth
    Why does the global economy have to collapse just when we are gunna discover aliens and build superhuman robots ?

    Ahh sheeesh its like one of those dreams where your just about to shag britney spears and she turns into a guy.
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    Gareth M Thomas
    Serial Entrepreneur
    Auckland, New Zealand

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    • Profile picture of the author John Henderson
      Originally Posted by gareth View Post

      Ahh sheeesh its like one of those dreams where your just about to shag britney spears and she turns into a guy.
      In my dream it was Princess Leia, not Britney. Must have been the slave-girl costume in ROTJ that stuck in my memory.

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  • Profile picture of the author John Henderson
    Originally Posted by Thomas View Post

    All 300+ known planets outside our solar system have been detected indirectly.

    Here's the first one directly detected:

    Out of this World Pictures: First Direct Photos of Exoplanets: Scientific American
    I'm glad that it wasn't just me who got excited about this, Thomas. We now have photographic evidence of the very first 'solar system' we've ever seen outside of our own. If Hubble can find more of these, then the possibility of life on other planets becomes less remote.
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