Ok mankind, lets get this Imperium going. We can start here.

Scientists looking for life on other planets like to talk about the "Goldilocks Zone" -- not too hot, not too cold, but just right.


Now, researchers at the NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., have found a planet -- Kepler-22b -- that's right in that zone.


NASA finding feeds talk of a new Earth

But don't pack your bags just yet. If you traveled at the speed of light, it would take 600 years to get there.

However the news is still exciting stuff for experts such as astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson of the American Museum of Natural History.

The discovery, Tyson said on "The Early Show," is thrilling because of the potential for life on the planet. He explained, "In the catalogs of planets that we now have, this is the first time we've had an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone with a star. ... We're kind of biased: We're looking for life as we know it. You can imagine, I suppose, that there is life on something other than water, but that's kind of -- we don't know how to get a handle on that. We do have a handle on life -- every place there's water on Earth, there's life -- even the Dead Sea. They called it the Dead Sea because they didn't see fish. But you pull out your microscope and there's microbes everywhere on Earth."


However, it isn't likely humans are going to be guests on Kepler-22b anytime soon, particularly because our current technology has its limitations. "It's not close," Tyson said. "(With) our fastest spacecraft today, it would take something like 300,000 years to get there. ... Probably even longer."


What's the next realistic step for researchers, now that the planet's been found?

"You build the catalog of these planets that could have life," Tyson said. "Now you have a second round of observations to try to see the atmosphere, to see if the atmosphere has bio-markers for thriving life on its surface. Then you say, 'Well, if you ever have the chance to go somewhere or to target telescopes to listen for intelligent life, those will be at the top of the list."'
© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.


Well all we need now is some Gellar Field technology and an astropath. That shouldn't take too long to get right? Either way this could be the first planet we take over as part of the glorious Imperium of man. I just hope it isn't full of sleeping robots, giant bugs or those damn blue monkey cat people.

This planet needs a proper name instead of Kepler-22b like: a Greek letter and attached number, Rylos, Krull, Gaea, Clom, Mong, Oa, or something with "New" or "Terra" in front of it.Then people might get a bit more excited when they hear about it, instead of Kepler-22b.

Ok humans, lets get this going before some damn fairy space elves return and reclaim Kepler-22b as a lost Maiden world.