Dec 31, 2015 04:16 AM
Twin Planets Could Share Life In Alien Solar Systems
http://curious4science.com/twin-planets-...r-systems/
EXCERPT: Astronomers have recently discovered two exoplanets around the star Kepler-36 where their orbits come so close together that each rises in the night sky of its sister world like an exotic full moon. Study lead author Jason Steffen at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas stated that: “If this system was scaled up to the size of the Earth‘s orbit, then the two planets would only be one-tenth of one astronomical unit apart at their closest approach — that’s only 40 times the distance to the moon.” The discovery of Kepler-36’s two planets raises the possibility of multihabitable systems with two or more Earth-sized planets orbiting near each other in the habitable zones of their stars. The scientists ran a series of computer models simulating multihabitable systems to see what life might be like on such worlds....
Top 6 Must-See Sky Events for 2016
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/...night-sky/
EXCERPT: Among other celestial delights, the upcoming year may be best remembered for a planetary disappearing act and a Martian close-up. Mars will be at its biggest and brightest in May, and then in the fall will appear to pass close to a famous nebula. And in another beautiful view, the tiny planet Mercury will pass in front of the sun, appearing as a black spot traveling across the sun's face. Here's a rundown of some of these and more of the skywatching events worth circling on your calendar in 2016....
http://curious4science.com/twin-planets-...r-systems/
EXCERPT: Astronomers have recently discovered two exoplanets around the star Kepler-36 where their orbits come so close together that each rises in the night sky of its sister world like an exotic full moon. Study lead author Jason Steffen at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas stated that: “If this system was scaled up to the size of the Earth‘s orbit, then the two planets would only be one-tenth of one astronomical unit apart at their closest approach — that’s only 40 times the distance to the moon.” The discovery of Kepler-36’s two planets raises the possibility of multihabitable systems with two or more Earth-sized planets orbiting near each other in the habitable zones of their stars. The scientists ran a series of computer models simulating multihabitable systems to see what life might be like on such worlds....
Top 6 Must-See Sky Events for 2016
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/...night-sky/
EXCERPT: Among other celestial delights, the upcoming year may be best remembered for a planetary disappearing act and a Martian close-up. Mars will be at its biggest and brightest in May, and then in the fall will appear to pass close to a famous nebula. And in another beautiful view, the tiny planet Mercury will pass in front of the sun, appearing as a black spot traveling across the sun's face. Here's a rundown of some of these and more of the skywatching events worth circling on your calendar in 2016....