
The newfound planet joins another four circling the star 55 Cancri in the constellation Cancer. Although it resides in the star's so-called habitable zone, a place where liquid water and mild temperatures should exist, it is more like Saturn than Earth and therefore not likely to support life.
Still, scientists have not ruled out the possibility of finding an Earth-like planet within the system as technology improves. "It's a system that appears to be packed with planets," said co-discoverer Debra Fischer, an astronomer at San Francisco State University.
"We can now say there are stars like the sun that have many worlds around them," said planetary scientist Jonathan Lunine of the University of Arizona, Tucson, who had no role in the discovery. The latest discovery shows that our solar system is not unique, scientists said.
"When you look up into the night sky and see the twinkling lights of stars, you can imagine with certainty that they have their own complement of planets," said astronomer Geoff Marcy of the University of California, Berkeley, who was part of the research.

14 comments:
Damn Bugs!, Lt.Col one thing is for sure, We'll need bigger guns.
I dunno about you but I'm still worried about the Clingons near uranus. They fucking stink they do. And why is the planet brown?? I heard the martians call it the cess pit of the universe. You know what they say, it goes in a sweet corn but it comes out as corn on the cob!
I dunno, maybe it's all just a pile of shit!
uh ... does this mean I'm going to be recalled to active duty?
Sithy: No, not yet. We'll let you know when the time comes...
The visitors are our friends . . .
Very excited we may find a 'Goldilocks' planet in my lifetime . . .
The visitors are our friends . . . Bruce thats exactly what the French said about the Germans in 1939. You're not a cheese eating surrender monkey, are you?
Lt.Col, Bruce has been infected, he must be purged. You know what to do.
They bring us peace. They bring us . . . love.
To reiterate Overseer and slightly misquote a wise man ...
"We will catch them off balance. Do what must be done, Lt.Col Creedon, do not hesitate, show no mercy"
Sithy, are you grooming the Lt.Col as your next apprentice?
Well the 'Goldilocks' planet is hardly a trip to the Temple :-)
Sithy When do you estimate that the Lt.Col will give into his anger and become your young apprentice? ;)
Sithy on a far more serious note what would the Lt.Col's Sith name be?, Darth Whopper?
If I was so inclined I'd be Darth Scythe. But as I'm unfortunately Sithy's elder I reckon I wouldn't make much of a "young" apprentice.
You'll do until a younger, more powerful apprentice comes along, Darth Incompetus
lol
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