Stacey thanks the astronomers that discovered something really big

In observance of World Space Week, I thought it was appropriate to thank the lead astronomers at the Lick-Carnegie Exoplanet Survey for their discovery of the planet, Gliese 581 g. In case you haven’t heard about this yet, in a nut shell, astronomers have discovered a new, very-Earth-like planet that “most definitely supports life.” Whether the planet’s life is like the mold on your shower curtain or little green men, well, that remains to be determined.

I think this is so fascinating. I mean — LIFE — as in ALIENS. Pretty cool. Maybe it was my obsession with Captain Kirk as a small child, but I’ve always thought space travel should be made a global priority. What a wonderful way for the international community to be competitive — in a space race, as opposed to a rush to arm themselves or nuke each other.

I also can’t begin to imagine the patience it took to discover this new planet. Supposedly it was from 11 years of data and research. Um, ELEVEN YEARS?! I can’t even wait for my coffee maker to drizzle out my morning caffeine fix, let alone hunt for more than a decade for something 20 light years away. A job that is so meticulous and scientific literally baffles me; it’s so foreign I can’t even relate in the slightest — but I appreciate these astronomers all the same!