Laatsch, Comins speak with media about NASA’s discovery of seven ‘Earth-size’ planets
News organizations around the world, including the Bangor Daily News, reported on NASA’s recent announcement that it has discovered a solar system containing seven rocky, Earth-sized planets 39 light years away. The bodies orbit an ultracool dwarf star, according to NASA. Shawn Laatsch, director of the Emera Maine Astronomy Center and Jordan Planetarium, spoke with the BDN and WVII (Channel 7) about the discovery. “This is a major announcement,” he told the BDN. “It’s rare to find Earth-sized planets, but it’s especially rare to find several of them orbiting the same star not terribly far away.” After hearing the news Wednesday, Laatsch incorporated the discovery into the Jordan Planetarium’s show, according to the BDN. He also is planning future programming to feature the new system. Yahoo News carried the BDN report. Neil Comins, a professor of physics and astronomy at UMaine, spoke about the discovery on KFGO 790 AM Fargo-Moorhead’s “Nighttime Live with Bob Harris” out of North Dakota. Comins also spoke about his latest book, “The Traveler’s Guide to Space: For One-Way Settlers and Round-Trip Tourists.”