In a continuing search for other planets that may harbor life, re-analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images from 1998, astronomers have found evidence for two extrasolar planets that went undetected back then. Four giant planets are known to orbit the young, massive star HR 8799, which is 130 light-years away. The first three were discovered In 2007 and 2008. The fourth was spotted in 2010.
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Even though a dwarf galaxy clear across the Milky Way looks to be a mouse, it may have once been a bear that slashed through the Milky Way and created the galaxy’s spiral arms. What does all this mean?
Astronomer Curtis Struck thinks the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy collided with the Milky Way, creating the galaxy’s spiral arms, its central bar structure and the flaring at its outer disk. Along the way, the dwarf galaxy’s stars were scattered and the galaxy shrunk to an object that’s so small and unimpressive it’s hard to see. Maybe the evolution of our Milky Way galaxy did include collisions and wasn’t as peaceful as astronomers had thought.
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There may be alien life out there, after all: Using the Harps telescope in Chile, a European observatory has announced "major" alien planet findings: 50 previously unknown "exoplanets" that could harbor life. These new worlds include 16 "super-Earths." Astronomers have also discovered a diamond in the sky.
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It now appears that as many a 10% of rocky planets in the universe may have moons like our own. This configuration is essential for the development of higher life forms because the rotating moon retards orbital winds on the dominant planet. Without the influence of the nearby moon, those winds would blow at a continuous speed upwards of 200 MPH. This finding means that there are billions of such planets in our galaxy alone. It completely changes the equation regarding higher life forms, making them statistically much more probable.
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