In my opinion, I think if we can compute the age of this earth-like planet and its star then we can estimate the phase of evolution that life within exist. Can we do this on earth even though we are 600 light years away from kepler-22b?
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The star Kepler-22 is a little smaller than the Sun. Since the age of a star depends upon it's mass, it will have a lifespan in excess of five billion years. According to our current hypotheses of planet formation (which are possibly wrong), planets form at the same time the star does.
You are quite right in your implication. I doubt if NASA has estimated the age of this star. So there is yet another unknown. They still don't know what shape the orbit is of Kepler-22b. NASA cartoons show it as circular:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kepler…
It is far more likely to be a long ellipse. They don't even know if any other planets are present, and whether any other planes that may be present orbit in the same plane as Kepler-22b.
The planet itself is over twice the diameter of Earth and hence will have a mass around fifteen times that of Earth. It is really a twin-Neptune. It's atmosphere must be so heavy that the surface will be hotter than that of venus!
look again at that NASA cartoon. Notice the unjustified assumpion of a circular orbit! Note too how enormous the planet is compared to Earth, and how it is even closer to it's star than the Earth is to the sun. look at the little pictures at the bottom. For some unjustifiable reason they have chosen to paint this planet the same color as Earth. Why not make it the same color as Venus. That is likely to be far more accurate.
This is a fascinating planet and an exciting discovery. It is a pity that NASA has joined the media in falsely assuming that this planet is the abode of LGMs or other fantasies.
This site gives some good discussion:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_h…
You are quite right in your implication. I doubt if NASA has estimated the age of this star. So there is yet another unknown. They still don't know what shape the orbit is of Kepler-22b. NASA cartoons show it as circular:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kepler…
It is far more likely to be a long ellipse. They don't even know if any other planets are present, and whether any other planes that may be present orbit in the same plane as Kepler-22b.
The planet itself is over twice the diameter of Earth and hence will have a mass around fifteen times that of Earth. It is really a twin-Neptune. It's atmosphere must be so heavy that the surface will be hotter than that of venus!
look again at that NASA cartoon. Notice the unjustified assumpion of a circular orbit! Note too how enormous the planet is compared to Earth, and how it is even closer to it's star than the Earth is to the sun. look at the little pictures at the bottom. For some unjustifiable reason they have chosen to paint this planet the same color as Earth. Why not make it the same color as Venus. That is likely to be far more accurate.
This is a fascinating planet and an exciting discovery. It is a pity that NASA has joined the media in falsely assuming that this planet is the abode of LGMs or other fantasies.
This site gives some good discussion:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_h…
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