[Hellstryker]

http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/news/releases/2007/1205.html

[FUBAR-BDHR]

Yea but is it class M?   

[jr2]

  Interesting.

[Nuclear1]

Ah yes!  Finally, a new *playground*!  I am simply *expanding*!

(Cookie to anyone who gets that reference.  Hint: it has to do with that constellation and fish.)

[Shade]

Sounds like the Orz from Star Control 2.

[Nuclear1]

You like chocolate chip or peanut butter?

[Shade]

Hmm. I'd have to go with chocolate chip. Yeah, definitely those.

PS. That is such an awesome game. I'm gonna have to install that again

[Mefustae]

Get ready to deploy Mako, there might be Prothean artifacts down there. At the very least, we should be able to survey a deposit and raid a probe.

[karajorma]

Yea but is it class M?   

Don't think so.

The planet Redfield studied orbits HD189733, a star about 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula, the little fox. But it’s not like Earth. The planet is 20 percent more massive than Jupiter, and orbits very close to its parent star (more than 10 times closer than Mercury is to our Sun).

[Scooby_Doo]

If thats a hot-Jupiter then no way in hell it's M-class... it's more like hell... with what some 2000K temps with massive 1000+mph jetstreams.

[Mika]

Then there is a question of definition of atmosphere, with a massive gas planet like Jupiter it is a little bit hard to tell where exactly is the atmosphere.

Mika

[NGTM-1R]

The planet Redfield studied orbits HD189733, a star about 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula, the little fox. But it’s not like Earth. The planet is 20 percent more massive than Jupiter, and orbits very close to its parent star (more than 10 times closer than Mercury is to our Sun).

If that's for real, then I think if it had any atmosphere it probably should have burned off long ago. Even with its mass it must just barely be able to hold on to some relatively heavy-element gases.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

Guess it wouldn't be a good place to visit.  Too hard to keep the beer cold. 

[Scooby_Doo]

Well from what I understand, they can even see the planets temperature.  It's boiling hot on the side thats perminately fixed toward the sun (tidal effects) and the side away from the sun is still blistering hot.  Which not only indicates atmosphere, but a violent one at that.

[Mefustae]

If that's for real, then I think if it had any atmosphere it probably should have burned off long ago. Even with its mass it must just barely be able to hold on to some relatively heavy-element gases.

But if the star were incredibly weak, wouldn't that allow both close proximity and atmospheric retention?

[Scooby_Doo]

Theres also planets with really ecliptical orbits that get extremely close to their star.  When they start coming closer the whole planet suffers a heat shockwave blasts all the way around the planet.

[Retsof]

I saw something on the Science channel or Discovery or someting.  They had found a small, rocky planet, only a little bigger then Earth, orbiting a red dwarf in its habitable zone!  And only 20 light-years away!

[Scooby_Doo]

Wasn't that the planet with massive majority made up of water and where after a certain depth the water actually turns to a solid due to the pressure?

[Hellstryker]

Solid water formed from pressure?  unless i hear it from kara i refuse to believe it!

[Scooby_Doo]

Well the depth is far far greater than anything found on earth, plus the planets much bigger than earth.