| It is getting to the point where planets are | | | | The third closest galaxy to us, at about |
| being found everywhere. Fifty here, fifty | | | | 200,000 light years, is the Small Magellanic |
| there, well maybe I am exaggerating a little, | | | | Cloud, a dwarf galaxy. Again this galaxy is |
| but there are a lot of planets out there. Now | | | | being absorbed by our galaxy. Gas is being |
| that we know for sure that planets exist | | | | created by dying stars and so are star |
| outside our own solar system, maybe we should | | | | clusters, as they are being pulled away from |
| stop counting the ones that we find. Why do I | | | | the Small Magellanic Cloud. There is also a |
| say this? Our galaxy is only one of billions, | | | | debris trail that stretches from both of |
| or even more. It contains over | | | | these galaxies into our own. This is another |
| 100,000,000,000 stars. If only one star in | | | | galaxy that can only be seen from the |
| three has planets around it and lets say the | | | | southern hemisphere. Thanks to these two |
| average amount of planets is 4, we are | | | | galaxies, our own is getting bigger. Both of |
| looking at a heck of a lot of planets my | | | | the Magellanic Cloud galaxies are considered |
| friends. That is roughly 133,333,333,333 | | | | to be primitive and neither is said to have |
| planets in only our own galaxy. If only one | | | | as many heavy elements as our own galaxy. The |
| planet of these in 1,000 has life, we are | | | | chances of finding planets with life in the |
| looking at 13,333,333 planets containing | | | | two Magellanic Cloud galaxies are much |
| life. If only 1 in 1,000 of these has | | | | slimmer than in our own or the Andromeda |
| intelligent life, we are look at 13,333 | | | | galaxy. This is because there are a lot of |
| planets in our galaxy that contain | | | | very young stars in them, some being as young |
| intelligent life. Now you know why we are | | | | as only twelve million years old. This |
| searching for signals from planets with | | | | doesn't give much time, if any, for planetary |
| intelligent life, it is because the numbers | | | | development. |
| favor the chances of it being there. Our | | | | |
| world can't be that special that we are the | | | | Our Milky Way is about 90,000 light years in |
| only intelligent beings in the galaxy. It | | | | diameter and has a circumference of about |
| would be very closed minded of us to believe | | | | 270,000 light years. It is disk shaped and is |
| this. Even if we take the bible as a literal | | | | about 2,400 light years thick. None of these |
| interpretation of God's word, I don't think | | | | figures are exact and can be off by as much |
| there is anything in there that prohibits | | | | as 50,000 light years, no one knows for sure. |
| life in other places besides Earth. Maybe I | | | | Our galaxy is part of a group of galaxies |
| will receive an argument on this, but this is | | | | known as the local group. This group is in |
| what I believe. | | | | itself part of the Virgo Supercluster. Other |
| | | | dwarf galaxies that orbit our Milky Way are |
| The Andromeda galaxy is our neighbor galaxy. | | | | Canis Major, Sagittarius, Ursa Minor, |
| It is classified as M31. The M stands for | | | | Sculptor, Sextans, Fomax and Leo. Some are so |
| Messier Object. Charles Messier was a French | | | | small that they are only 500 light years |
| astronomer that lived from 1730 to 1817. He | | | | across. These tiny galaxies would be Carina, |
| complied a list of objects that were | | | | Draco and Leo II, all dwarfs. It is thought |
| difficult to tell from comets. Of course the | | | | that there might be more of these galaxies |
| telescopes then were not as good as the ones | | | | orbiting us that have much less mass and |
| today and today this isn't a problem. There | | | | therefore are going undetected for the |
| are 110 of these objects. Andromeda is a | | | | moment. It is felt that they might be mostly |
| larger galaxy than our own. It is pretty near | | | | gas and dust. There is a ripple effect at the |
| us in cosmic terms and is headed for a | | | | southern edge of our galaxy and this is |
| collision with the Milky Way. Don't worry | | | | thought to be caused by the Magellanic Clouds |
| though, it will take about 4 billion years | | | | as they orbit us. The speed of the |
| before this happens. Even when it does happen | | | | approaching Andromeda Galaxy is about 100 to |
| there is not much chance of being smashed | | | | 140 kilometers per second. That is roughly 67 |
| into. The stars are just too far apart. NASA | | | | to 93 miles per second. No one is quite sure |
| describes it this way, picture two grains of | | | | how fast our galaxy is traveling. There have |
| sand separated by a football field. That is | | | | been estimates that range form 100 km to |
| about the distance of the stars from each | | | | 1,000 km. per second. That is somewhere |
| other in each galaxy. When the two galaxies | | | | between 67 to to 667 miles per second and |
| do meet, they will pass into each other at | | | | even this might be wrong. |
| the speed of about 1,000,000 mph, Ouch! Some | | | | |
| day the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies will | | | | Some of the recently found planets from |
| be one. The main problem with the two | | | | outside our solar system include one that was |
| galaxies passing into each other is the gas | | | | discovered orbiting a star that was |
| and debris that each contain. Recent findings | | | | considered quite normal. The planet is about |
| indicate that the Andromeda Galaxy contains | | | | 5.5 times the size of the Earth. It is |
| over a trillion stars, which is far more than | | | | further away from its sun than we are from |
| the Milky Way, but here is the kicker, they | | | | ours. The star it orbits is 28,000 light |
| have also found that the Milky Way is more | | | | years away and the planet is thought to be |
| massive, due to more dark matter being | | | | rocky. The star it orbits is a red dwarf. |
| present. Dark matter is the matter that we | | | | That means it is about 50 times less powerful |
| can't see. It is estimated that 90% of the | | | | than our sun, but is the most common type of |
| universe is made of it. Because of all this | | | | star in the universe. Some Earth sized |
| dark matter in our own galaxy, it would have | | | | planets have been detected, but these were |
| been interesting to see how this effects the | | | | only orbiting dying neutron stars. A neutron |
| collision between the two galaxies. | | | | star is a star that comes from a supernova |
| | | | explosion. It is VERY dense. You are talking |
| Forgetting the collision for a second, the | | | | about a star that is only about 10 km(about |
| potential for planets in the Andromeda Galaxy | | | | 6.5 miles) in radius, yet has a mass about |
| is even far greater than our own, because of | | | | 1.5 times that of our sun, which has a radius |
| the number of stars in that galaxy. | | | | of 695,000 km (about 463,333 miles). It is |
| Scientists believe that the same physics is | | | | believed that any planet orbiting a sun of |
| in effect in all galaxies and throughout the | | | | this type MUST be a dead world. Another |
| universe. I wonder if this could be a wrong | | | | planet was found at a distance of about 20 |
| assumption, even in small ways? For example, | | | | light years. It is rotating around a red sun |
| what if there was a planet where things | | | | that is about 1.5 times the size of our sun. |
| didn't work quite the same. For example, we | | | | The planet is considered to be very Earth |
| are used to seeing things fall down in a | | | | like and its discovery was announced in |
| straight line. What if there was a planet | | | | April, 2007 by a team of European |
| where there was similar gravity to our own, | | | | astronomers. There is evidence to suggest |
| but for some unknown reason, things that fell | | | | oceans. The diameter is 12,000 miles and its |
| hit the planet on an angle? With so many | | | | mass is 5 times that of Earth. Some |
| different planets and so many different | | | | scientists are already saying that this |
| compositions, things could be quite different | | | | planet might just have the best chance for |
| than what we are used to, even if it didn't | | | | life so far. I believe that this statement is |
| violate the physical laws. Would it be | | | | far too premature. The planet is located in |
| possible to find a galaxy that had no planets | | | | Libra. |
| or that had at least 5 or 6 planets for every | | | | |
| star? These are extreme cases, but you just | | | | Have you ever wondered why we are finding |
| can't rule anything out when you are talking | | | | planets that are usually huge? The answer is |
| about the unknown. | | | | simple, it is hard to find planets because |
| | | | their suns block out their light. The bigger |
| Our own galaxy has satellite galaxies | | | | the planet the more light it gives off and |
| circling around it, like planets orbiting the | | | | the easier it is to find, not that finding |
| sun. Two of these galaxies are the Small | | | | planets is easy. Will we find a planet that |
| Magellanic Cloud and the Large Magellanic | | | | has life on it? It seems that the universe |
| Cloud. The nearest galaxy to our own was | | | | has a surprise for us. That surprise is that |
| thought to be the Large Magellanic Cloud, at | | | | there are many planets out there and many are |
| 163,000 light years away. In 1994 it was | | | | similar to our own world. There may be |
| discovered that the he Sagittarius Dwarf | | | | millions and billions of societies waiting |
| Elliptical Galaxy was closer at only about | | | | for us, or trying to avoid us, whatever the |
| 80,000 light years. The Magellanic Cloud | | | | case may be. |
| galaxy is like a blob of stars. It can only | | | | |
| be seen in the southern hemisphere. This | | | | Copyright © 2007 by About Facts Net and |
| galaxy is disintegrating because we are | | | | its licensors. All rights reserved. |
| absorbing it. The gradational tug of war | | | | Permission is granted to reproduce this |
| between this galaxy and our own is creating | | | | article if no changes are made and all links, |
| thousands of star clusters between the two. | | | | if any, remain intact. |