Astronomers plan to discern life on the exoplanet closest to Earth in 3 years, and if it does not work out, then in 14 years
Is there life on Proxima Centauri b - an earth-like planet that was recently discovered near the closest star to the Sun - Proxima Centauri? In theory, yes. And in fact? Scientists intend to find out for sure. The most reliable way. Namely, to see - in the literal sense of the word.
A glimpse of Proxima Centauri b and other planets that may be located in the Centauri system around two other stars - Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, will allow the new High Definition Space Telescope, which NASA will launch by 2030. It will be akin to the Hubble Space Telescope, but 5 times larger and 100 times more sensitive. These plans were announced by astronomers from the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), and briefly reported by the New York Times. The telescope, the mirror diameter of which will be more than 10 meters, will be placed 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth in a near solar orbit. Experts estimate the cost of creation and launch at about $ 10 billion. But apparently the goals are worth it.
Hubble telescope: the new one will be 5 times larger
“We will be the generation that will finally know if we are alone in the universe,” encourages colleagues Matt Mountain, president of the association.
New telescope will bring Proxima Centauri b closer
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The Centauri system is targeted by its future telescope and enthusiasts of the Project Blue project, which is being promoted by the American private institute BoldlyGo. And they are planning to take the telescope into space. Its size will be modest - about a washing machine, as promised by Jon Morse, the former head of NASA's astrophysics department and now director of the BoldyGo Institute. Cost from $ 25 to $ 50 million.
Astronomers expect to photograph Proxima Centauri b and other planets in the Centauri system, if they are actually there. The goal is to obtain an image similar to the one transmitted in 1990 by the Voyager1 space probe - heading towards the borders of the solar system, it photographed our Earth from a distance of 6 billion kilometers. Pale blue dot - this is the name of the famous astronomer Carl Sagan.
Pale blue dot - this is how the Earth looks from a distance of 6 billion kilometers. A shot from the Voyager1, taken by not the best camera
Having received a picture, scientists will try to analyze its spectrum and find lines of elements that accompany life. For example oxygen.
According to the plan, the telescope will be launched in three years.
Vladimir LAGOVSKY