NASA: New habitable-zone planets discovered
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- Published on 22 February 2017
- Written by The Peorian
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star, the space agency announced Wednesday.
Three of these planets are firmly located in the habitable zone, the area around the parent star where a rocky planet is most likely to have liquid water.
The discovery sets a new record for greatest number of habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system. All of these seven planets could have liquid water – key to life as we know it – under the right atmospheric conditions, but the chances are highest with the three in the habitable zone, NASA said in a news release.
"This discovery could be a significant piece in the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "Answering the question 'are we alone' is a top science priority and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal."
At about 40 light-years (235 trillion miles) from Earth, the system of planets is relatively close to us, in the constellation Aquarius. Because they are located outside of our solar system, these planets are scientifically known as exoplanets, the release said.
This exoplanet system is called TRAPPIST-1, named for The Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile. In May 2016, researchers using TRAPPIST announced they discovered three planets in the system. Assisted by several ground-based telescopes, including the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, Spitzer confirmed the existence of two of these planets and discovered five additional ones, increasing the number of known planets in the system to seven.
The new results were published Wednesday in the journal Nature, and announced at a news briefing at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Using Spitzer data, the team precisely measured the sizes of the seven planets and developed first estimates of the masses of six of them, allowing their density to be estimated.
Based on their densities, all of the TRAPPIST-1 planets are likely to be rocky, the release said. Further observations will not only help determine whether they are rich in water, but also possibly reveal whether any could have liquid water on their surfaces. The mass of the seventh and farthest exoplanet has not yet been estimated – scientists believe it could be an icy, "snowball-like" world, but further observations are needed.
"The seven wonders of TRAPPIST-1 are the first Earth-size planets that have been found orbiting this kind of star," said Michael Gillon, lead author of the paper and the principal investigator of the TRAPPIST exoplanet survey at the University of Liege, Belgium. "It is also the best target yet for studying the atmospheres of potentially habitable, Earth-size worlds."
In contrast to our sun, the TRAPPIST-1 star – classified as an ultra-cool dwarf – is so cool that liquid water could survive on planets orbiting very close to it, closer than is possible on planets in our solar system, the release said. All seven of the TRAPPIST-1 planetary orbits are closer to their host star than Mercury is to our sun. The planets also are very close to each other. If a person was standing on one of the planet's surface, they could gaze up and potentially see geological features or clouds of neighboring worlds, which would sometimes appear larger than the moon in Earth's sky.
The planets may also be tidally locked to their star, which means the same side of the planet is always facing the star, therefore each side is either perpetual day or night. This could mean they have weather patterns totally unlike those on Earth, such as strong winds blowing from the day side to the night side, and extreme temperature changes.
Spitzer, an infrared telescope that trails Earth as it orbits the sun, was well-suited for studying TRAPPIST-1 because the star glows brightest in infrared light, whose wavelengths are longer than the eye can see. In the fall of 2016, Spitzer observed TRAPPIST-1 nearly continuously for 500 hours. Spitzer is uniquely positioned in its orbit to observe enough crossing – transits – of the planets in front of the host star to reveal the complex architecture of the system. Engineers optimized Spitzer's ability to observe transiting planets during Spitzer's "warm mission," which began after the spacecraft's coolant ran out as planned after the first five years of operations.
"This is the most exciting result I have seen in the 14 years of Spitzer operations," said Sean Carey, manager of NASA's Spitzer Science Center at Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California. "Spitzer will follow up in the fall to further refine our understanding of these planets so that the James Webb Space Telescope can follow up. More observations of the system are sure to reveal more secrets."
Following up on the Spitzer discovery, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has initiated the screening of four of the planets, including the three inside the habitable zone. These observations aim at assessing the presence of puffy, hydrogen-dominated atmospheres, typical for gaseous worlds like Neptune, around these planets.
In May 2016, the Hubble team observed the two innermost planets, and found no evidence for such puffy atmospheres. This strengthened the case that the planets closest to the star are rocky in nature.
"The TRAPPIST-1 system provides one of the best opportunities in the next decade to study the atmospheres around Earth-size planets," said Nikole Lewis, co-leader of the Hubble study and astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler space telescope also is studying the TRAPPIST-1 system, making measurements of the star's minuscule changes in brightness due to transiting planets. Operating as the K2 mission, the spacecraft's observations will allow astronomers to refine the properties of the known planets, as well as search for additional planets in the system. The K2 observations conclude in early March and will be made available on the public archive.
Spitzer, Hubble, and Kepler will help astronomers plan for follow-up studies using NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, launching in 2018. With much greater sensitivity, Webb will be able to detect the chemical fingerprints of water, methane, oxygen, ozone, and other components of a planet's atmosphere. Webb also will analyze planets' temperatures and surface pressures – key factors in assessing their habitability.
Illinois cities push their own legislative agenda
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- Published on 21 February 2017
From ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
More cities across Illinois are using most, if not all, of their share of property taxes to pay for public safety pensions and the Illinois Municipal League says state mandated sweeteners don’t help.
The IML announced its legislative agenda Tuesday titled “Moving Cities Forward.” Among the proposed bills are efforts to address the growing taxpayer liability for local government public sector pensions.
Barrington Village President Karen Darch said one way to address the problem is to require an arbitrator to take a city’s fiscal reality into account instead of relying on tax increases when making decisions on contract disputes.
“In the actual negotiation, if (the arbitrator’s) imposing an arbitration award and he considers the community’s ability to pay, that’s huge because at least you’re starting from a rational place,” Darch said.
Right now, an arbitrator can consider the city’s ability to raise taxes in the future as a way to cover costs sought in a contract. The proposed legislation would require an arbitrator to base decisions on actual available revenues at the time of arbitration.
IML Executive Director Brad Cole said another fix is consolidating the state’s 663 different municipal pension funds into one, lowering overhead costs and increasing investment returns.
“Every dollar that is being spent on a fund manager or on the administration of the fund is a dollar less that could be put into the actual fund to make sure that the funded ratio is strengthened,” he said.
Another proposal Cole said is important is to remove the requirement that prevailing wage be used for all public works projects, which require governments to pay at least the equivalent of labor union costs. Cole said the state could pass a bill “establishing a threshold of $200,000 under which communities, if they chose to, would not have to impose prevailing wage contracts.”
Cole also said local governments need relief from high worker’s compensation costs.
That’s something Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert said is a problem.
“We practice constant safety efforts for our employees and equipment but we have seen some of the awards that have just been seemingly very, very high,” he said.
Among other IML proposals are expanding home rule eligibility and making money the state owes cities continuing appropriation.
Midwest, central Illinois farmland values fall
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- Published on 16 February 2017
From ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
The Midwest has seen a third consecutive year of decreasing farmland values.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago stated in its quarterly newsletter that a zone that includes
parts of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Iowa saw another decrease in land value for 2016, making this three years in a row.
Land values in Central Illinois have dropped by 5 percent in the last year, according to a survey of almost 200 district banks.
University of Illinois Agricultural Economics professor Todd Kuethe said this goes hand in hand with leased land rates.
“Potentially, we’ll see land rental rates following land values down if they haven’t already led them down a little bit,” he said.
The decreased land value also results in less collateral to get operating loans.
“We can start to see some secondary effects, potentially, in credit market because of the reduced asset values,” Kuethe said. “I tell farmers to make sure you have all of your statements in order so you can show your lender exactly where your strengths and your weaknesses are and how you plan to finance any debt.”
Kuethe warns farmers that 2017 is not a time to panic, but definitely one to approach cautiously.
“We’re going to again see low margins next year,” he said. “Maybe even decreasing margins from what we saw the year before.”
Land values in Southern Illinois weren’t part of the survey as they belong to a different federal reserve district.
Kuethe said that the lower-quality recreational soils there also saw decreases in value, but are prone to more swings as land values there isn’t tied to a set yield standard as are high-quality soils in Central Illinois.
Bob Michel remembered for civility, fairness
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- Published on 17 February 2017
- Written by Paul Gordon
Robert Michel, who during his 38 years representing the Peoria region in Congress was known to always put country ahead of party, died Friday in Arlington, Virginia. He was 93.
Michel, born and raised in Peoria, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1957 and served the 18th District until his retirement in 1995. He remained in the Washington, D.C. area, working as a lobbyist, for many years after. His death was caused by pneumonia, according to published reports.
Michel was popular in Peoria, easily winning re-election every two years with few exceptions. He was best known for his willingness to work both sides of the aisle in Congress if it meant reaching a compromise that was best for the country. He was a frequent guest at the White House, particularly in the Reagan years.
He always maintained civility as House Minority Leader, but retired when it became evident that a new “us vs. them” attitude was developing under former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. In fact, many pundits believe it was Gingrich moving in behind Michel in House GOP leadership that led to the partisan fights we see in Congress today.
Michel replaced former U.S. Rep. Harold H. Velde, who retired. Michel then was replaced as 18th District Representative by Ray LaHood, who before that was Michel’s chief of staff.
LaHood’s style was much like his mentor’s in that he was a nice guy who respected all others regardless of party. It’s one reason LaHood was asked to serve in President Barack Obama’s cabinet as Transportation Secretary.
In comments after learning of Michel’s death, LaHood praised him for the way he legislated while still able to treat others with respect and civility. He said Michel was a mentor to many and showed others how being respectful to all opinions was important.
Michel was a hero in World War II, fighting on Normandy as well as in the Battle of the Bulge. Despite being severely wounded he helped capture a German emplacement, earning his two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.
After the war he returned to Peoria and graduated from Bradley University. He married Corinne Woodruff, a fellow Peorian and Bradley student, in 1948. They were married 55 years before her death in 2003. Together they had four children.
Michel went to work for Rep. Velde in 1949, then succeeded him in 1957 at the age of 33.
After his retirement, Michel was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award, by then-President Bill Clinton in 1994. In giving the award Clinton remarked how he and Michel often disagreed but that he knew the Congressman always put country ahead of party.
He was presented the Order of Lincoln Award, the highest in Illinois, in 1997 by then-Gov. Jim Edgar.
In Peoria, there is a bridge, student center at Bradley University and the Veterans Administration building all named in his honor. While his visits back home became less frequent due to his age and health, Michel returned for those dedications.
Also, the Creve Coeur Club has named its highest award the Robert H. Michel Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented each year at the annual Washington Day Banquet. Michel was the first recipient.
Bradley University awarded Michel an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree in 1981 (his bachelor’s degree in 1948 was in business administration) and he was on the university’s Board of Trustees, including as an Honorary Trustee at the time of his death. When he retired the university established the Bob and Corinne Michel Scholarship at Bradley and named him a Distinguished Adjunct Professor of American Government.
Others who reacted to Michel’s death included:
Former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, who replaced Ray LaHood in the 18th District: “Bob was one of the most sincere and genuine people in the world. He always had a cheery disposition and positive outlook, which made him popular even among his political adversaries. Even in his later years, he never lost the personal touch. A handwritten note, a personal phone call of encouragement and support. I will miss him dearly.”
U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, currently 18th District representative: ““It is with a heavy heart today that we mourn the passing of former Congressman Bob Michel. Bob Michel led a remarkable life. Born and raised in Peoria, as a young man he stormed the beaches of Normandy as an infantryman in WW II, fought in the battle of the Bulge and received a Purple Heart Award. He came home and graduated from Bradley University and got elected to Congress and went on to honorably serve for 38 years representing Peoria and much of Central Illinois. 14 of those years as the elected House Republican Leader where he was instrumental in helping President Ronald Reagan pass his legislative agenda through Congress. Bob is remembered for his uncommon decency and his common sense Midwestern values. He was a true statesman and an example for all of us in public service. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his entire family. May God bless him.”I
U.S. Rep.Cheri Bustos, 17th District representative: “Whether it was his courageous service in World War II, his work to strengthen Illinois or his bipartisan approach to leadership in Congress, Bob Michel was one of Peoria’s best. Bob Michel proved that if Democrats and Republicans are willing to reach across the aisle and work together, then we can achieve great things for the people we serve. I join with all Peorians in giving thanks for the example he set and offering my heartfelt condolences to his friends, family and loved ones.”
Jim Umpleby, CEO, Caterpillar Inc. "If you're driving in the Peoria area, there's a good chance you'll find yourself on the Bob Michel Bridge, a perfect metaphor for a man who dedicated his life to building bridges in Washington for his hometown. Bob Michel was a classy, generous and courageous man who stands shoulder to shoulder with the outstanding lineage of Central Illinois representatives. Caterpillar is particularly thankful for Bob's deep affection for our company and employees. His service to our nation, both in the U.S. Army where he received numerous decorations for valor, and his 38 years in the House of Representatives, where he always put Central Illinois first, deserve our eternal gratitude. Bob's love for his country was only exceeded by his love for his wife Corinne and his family. He will be deeply missed and remembered as a statesman of the highest order."
Gary Roberts, president of Bradley University: “Congressman Michel and his wife Corinne were true models of dedicated public servants. The University and the community are indebted to the Michels for their loyalty to their alma mater and their distinguished leadership in our community and the nation.”
AARP opposed to taxing retirement income
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- Published on 15 February 2017
From ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
A Chicago-based nonprofit says raising the Illinois income tax and taxing retirement income will fix the state’s budget mess. The nation’s largest advocacy group for retirees disagrees.
The Civic Federation released a series of suggestions late last week that they say the state could use to get back on sound fiscal footing. The plan is centered around raising $51 billion from new taxes over the next five years by increasing the income tax rate to 5.25 percent and then taxing retirement income at that level as well. Retirement income currently isn’t taxed.
AARP Illinois state director Bob Gallo says retirees aren’t anchored to Illinois by a job and will just leave the state in high numbers.
“People don’t move to the Sunbelt states just for sunshine,” Gallo said. “The reason many people retire there is affordability.”
He said taxing retirement income would negatively affect not only retirees but their families.
“What organizations like the Civic Federation don’t consider is that a lot of (retirees’) income is family income as well. They’re better off using their retirement income to help the individuals who they love than the government taking the money away from them to distribute it in a different way or to solve a problem that they didn’t create in the first place.”
AARP is an outreach organization that lobbies lawmakers in Springfield on behalf of Illinoisans over 50. In terms of feasibility, Gallo says the chances of the Civic Federation’s plan passing into law are low.
“We’ll make sure that individuals of the General Assembly and the governor would be held accountable for moving in this direction,” he said.
In a Neilson survey conducted last year of Illinoisans over 50, nine out of ten opposed taxing retirement income and three-fifths say they would leave the state if such a tax were approved.
A Chicago-based nonprofit says raising the state’s income tax and taxing retirement income will fix Illinois’ budget mess. The nation’s largest advocacy group for retirees disagrees.
The Civic Federation released a series of suggestions Friday that they say the state could use to get back on sound fiscal footing. The plan is centered around raising $51 billion from new taxes over the next five years by increasing the income tax rate to 5.25 percent and then taxing retirement income at that level as well. Retirement income currently isn’t taxed.
AARP Illinois state director Bob Gallo says retirees aren’t anchored to Illinois by a job and will just leave the state in high numbers.
“People don’t move to the Sunbelt states just for sunshine,” Gallo said. “The reason many people retire there is affordability.”
He said taxing retirement income would negatively affect not only retirees but their families.
“What organizations like the Civic Federation don’t consider is that a lot of (retirees’) income is family income as well. They’re better off using their retirement income to help the individuals who they love than the government taking the money away from them to distribute it in a different way or to solve a problem that they didn’t create in the first place.”
AARP is an outreach organization that lobbies lawmakers in Springfield on behalf of Illinoisans over 50. In terms of feasibility, Gallo says the chances of the Civic Federation’s plan passing into law are low.
“We’ll make sure that individuals of the General Assembly and the governor would be held accountable for moving in this direction,” he said.
In a Neilson survey conducted last year of Illinoisans over 50, nine out of ten opposed taxing retirement income and three-fifths say they would leave the state if such a tax were approved.
