Earth-like planet finally found

The chances for the future generations to colonise the stars have just got higher. Today (Sept. 30, 2010) the astronomers announce the discovery of a planet just 20 light years away from the earth that has a similar atmosphere and gravity that which has 100% chance of like and may contain water. It is the most Earth-like planet ever found – a rocky world three times the size of our own.

This image concept shows the inner four planets of the Gliese 581 system and the host star, a red dwarf star only 20 light years away from Earth. The four tiny planets in the background are the planets that have already been discovered. The closer one, blue and green planet is 581G, the most Earth-like planet ever discovered.

Gas string pearls encircling Supernova

A string of pearls was circling the supernova remnant that glows 6 trillion miles in diameter. The gas ring likely was shed some 20,000 years before the supernova exploded, and shock waves rushing out from the remnant have been brightening some 30 to 40 pearl-like "hot spots" in the ring -- objects that likely grow and merge together in the coming years to form a continous, glowing cricle.