Kepler 22b

A mere 600 light-years off lies a planet within that sweet-spot known to allow for liquid water.  Since the telescope used can only detect planets with orbits directly across our plane-of-view, and we've only been able to carefully observe a handful of stars -it stands to reason that there are many more such planets.  Of course this says nothing about whether there's actually any water, let alone a magnetosphere capable of sustaining an atmosphere and/or hydrosphere. 

Looking at Drake's equation we've got rough estimates for only the first two terms (rate of star formation, number stars with planets) and we're now struggling to define the third - planets that could potentially support life.  The rest of the terms are still complete unknowns.  But it's nice to see were making progress.


NASA's Ames Research Center earns credit for the find, but since nobody has stepped up to lay a claim to the planet itself; I hereby claim this planet as my own.  (That was easy.)  Now let's hope there aren't any pesky natives to interfere with my new acquisition.  Anybody want to buy a continent?