GJ1214b_David-A-Aguilar

Astronomers have discovered a planet, called GJ 1214b, orbiting a nearby red dwarf.  It’s 13 parsecs (about 42 light years) from Earth,  close enough for an amateur to see with an array made from eight off-the-shelf, 16″ telescopes.  Our own TV signals have already started passing this solar system; they’re getting episodes of “Batman” and “Star Trek” right about now.  Due to its close proximity to its star, the planet is likely over 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the surface.  However, the planet appears to be about 75% water, possibly with water at the core, with a hydrogen–helium atmosphere that is keeping the boiling water in a liquid state.  It is possible for life to exist in that environment, as we’ve found fossils of microbes here on Earth near deep-sea hydrothermal vents reaching temperatures over 750 degrees Fahrenheit. Just don’t expect whatever might be living there to appreciate Adam West and William Shatner. Ingrates.

On a related note, below is a cool video of a four-dimensional* mapping of the known universe from the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium. 

[Sources: cosmiclog, io9, msnbc, and nerdcore]

* three spacial dimensions, and time as a fourth dimension under Hyperspace Theory