Solar System 'twin' found
By Dr David Whitehouse
Astronomers have found a planetary system similar to ours - a
Jupiter-like world circling a Sun-like star in roughly the same orbit
that Jupiter follows our Sun.
Of the 100 or so other planetary systems known, this one more closely
resembles ours than any other.
Researchers speculate that this system may contain other worlds, such as
smaller rocky planets like Earth, either in orbit around the star or
around the Jupiter-like world itself.
The planet's parent star, called HD 70642, is slightly too faint to be
seen with the unaided eye, but is easily visible in the southern sky
using binoculars
Read the rest at BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3041220.stm
Comment:
Tourism will follow (eventually).
Mars Express 'on 70% power'
Europe's first Mars space craft is suffering from a power glitch.
However, controllers believe it will make no difference to the mission
itself.
Engineers carrying out routine checks on Mars Express as it speeds
though space have found it is down to 70% power.
A faulty connection between the craft's solar wings and a unit that
distributes the electricity generated by the arrays is to blame.
The power shortage is expected to have no impact on the state of the
space craft or the mission objectives.
The European Space Agency (Esa) said in its latest mission statement:
"This anomaly has no effect on the state of the space craft and has no
impact on the mission during the whole trip to Mars, including the orbit
insertion phase once at destination."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3041306.stm
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Kind Regards,
Robert Karl Stonjek.
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