We Are Not Alone
The Kepler Space Telescope a telescope specially made to look of planets orbiting other stars has had resounding success after looking at its first patch of sky.
The telescope has found 1,235 planets, of which 68 are earth size and 54 in the habitation zone meaning they would have roughly the same climate of earth.
THe remarkable thing about this is the telescope which can only see 1/400 of the galaxy and has only searched the minutest area has found so much. If these figures repeat themsevles across the galaxy that means there are millions of Earths alone. This is without counting moons of gas giants in the habitable zone which most likely would outnumber planets of this kind.
New Kepler Discoveries – Planetary News | The Planetary Society
Advertisement
Cryptic said,
13/07/2011 at 4:17 pm
As a side note, the number of planets out there is not consistent with the other early numbers plugged into the Drake Equation. Drake, Sagan etc. entered data that gave the impression there was both alot of planets and that the galaxy was teeming with intelligent life.
30-40 years later, it is confirmed that they were right about there being numerous planets. Intelligent life, however, is either rare or the aliens are being very quiet.