An artist's rendering shows two Saturn-sized planets discovered by NASA’s Kepler mission.
NASA has announced the discovery of two planets, slightly smaller than Saturn, orbiting the same star in the Milky Way, which have been discovered by the Kepler Space Telescope.
William Borucki, the Kepler Mission Science Principal Investigator, at the NASA Ames Research Center, announced on a teleconference "the first discovery of multiple planets orbiting the same star."
The two planets, known as Kepler 9B and 9C, have a clear gravitational interaction, according to NASA.
A third celestial body, has also been discovered. It's about 1.5 times the size of Earth, but it has not yet, been confirmed as a planet.
"The discovery incorporates seven months of observations of more than 156,000 stars as part of an ongoing search for Earth-sized planets outside our solar system," NASA said in a press release.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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This is significant. I predict the acknowledgement of an alien civilization within 12 months.
what's wrong with these guys? They're looking in the worng place. They're doing this research on the north side of the galaxy while anyone with half a brain knows the action is on the south side of the galaxy.... Jeez!!!
:::SpaceDude anyone with half a brain knows the action is on the south side of the galaxy. @@@@ So, you are saying you have half a brain?
Bailoutsos – no, I'm saying even those with mediocre intelligence are aware of my aforementioned post. Do youself a favor and go post in the Entertainment section. You obviously know nothing about science.
Westside!!!
We should find a new planet and place all politicians and lawyers there. A few talking heads and news people will go there to court them ... and life will be better here ....
This is exactly why I hate stars. They make me so angry what with all their little "secrets" for us to find.
I wonder if they ever find life on another planet if they'd be just as messed up as we are?
If they can't even get the correct solar system for this story, imagine what cnn is screwing up in other stories.
They didn't name a solar system in this story.
Hector,
Because, if there was any truth to the existence of a planet where the doomsday folks say Nibiru is, we would ALREADY be able to see it in small scopes here on Earth. Nibiru is completely made up. Smarten up – somebody is ALWAYS selling doomsday predictions! Just do me one favor – promise me that when 2012 ends, 2013 begins, and you are still here, you'll be more skeptical about the end of the world!
I think it has all been miscalculated. Any reference to 2012 is off by about 30 years, if this date is actually taken from the Mayan calendar and its methods. Closer analysis reveals the "date" to be closer to the year 2040.
When the first extra-terestrials come to Earth they probably won't be in space ships. They will be space ships, true artificial intellegent computers that don't need life support.
In the mean time our own basic research into extra-terestrial conditions will have to do.
"The first discovery of multiple planets orbiting the same star." That's funny. Seems to me that our own solar system is comprised of multiple planets orbiting the same star. Guess that's the SECOND DISCOVERY. Idiot writers...
These GD scientists need to work for defense companies, private sector tech companies, the military, energy companies, or serve me hamburgers. NASA is a drain on this country for billions and billions of dollars sponsoring rich peoples stoner 22 year old BABIES getting oversalaried to work on resume building Forehead slap projects that dont return anything to our country. I've got a space project for you, figure out how to use your NASA technology to give our country its fragging money back you traitors!
you should actually research before you deliver your fact-less bias.
I have always wondered what they mean by "Earth-like".
Do they mean the way our planet originally was, before life transformed it? Or do they mean like it is today, with having life releasing massive amounts of pollutants like Oxygen into the atmosphere?
Do they mean with relatively pure water (pH around 7) flowing on its surface? Or do they mean with deadly acid flowing on its surface (like Mars a long, long time ago)?
Lol @ calling Oxygen a pollutant. Put down the bong.
Josh, are you in Jr. high or high school?
In general,Earth-like refers to relatively small, rocky planets similar in size to the Earth (or Venus or Mars) as opposed to the larger gas giants (Jupiter or Saturn).
How is this furthering NASA's new primary mission under Obama of finding "a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with predominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science, math, and engineering."
Get over with religion Daniel, we are discussing science here..but then u r too DUMB and ILLITERATE..so get lost!
Do you know what an Astrolabe is?
I mean, heck, they just came up with the concept of a heliocentric universe (Copernicus cribbed off the writings of Ibn al-Shatir and repackaged them for a European audience), the law of the Conservation of Mass, the scientific method, public libraries (until they were sacked by Christian Crusaders), algebra, trigonometry, hospitals, medical schools, and so much more. Why recognize any of that? White Europeans all the way YEAAAAAAH!
Seriously, try to find any technological advance "invented" by Europeans that wasn't ripped off from Asians or Arabs.
Not meant as a real answer to your question, but two of the most significant inventions of modern times come to mind. The printing press (allowing access to information and knowledge to the masses), and portable clocks (allowing for accurate world navigation). But then I'm not sure they weren't ripped of from someone else.
We've know about this for over a decade.
Dave and Alvin.
Alf told us about this back in the 80's.
hmmm... looking for a planet like earth before Dec 21. 2012..
Don't worry John Cusack is on it...
what page of the bible is this on?