This is pretty cool:  Scientists launch ‘planet hunter’

Ironically it launched from Kazakstan.  I find that funny given all the Borat noise.  LOL.  Anyway the satellite is called COROT and it’s from a French-led consortium.  (I’m biting my tongue on French jokes.) 

Anyway, this is a area that I find very interesting.  The discovery of other planets, especially those that might exist in a Habitable Zone or, more importantly, an Animal Habitable Zone, is near and dear to my heart.  In 2008 NASA plans to launch a satellite telescope that can detect Earth-sized planets. 

Quote:

It will measure the light emitted by a star and detect the drop in brightness caused when a planet passes in front of it.

Like the larger planets found so far, however, these new ones will have to be orbiting close to their star.

“Such planets would represent a new, as yet undiscovered, class of world that astronomers believe exists. With COROT, astronomers expect to find between 10-40 of them, together with tens of new gas giants,” ESA said.

ESA is the European Space Agency.

More on COROT from ESA.

If anyone knows what COROT stands for, please let me know.