Scientists have recently unveiled a revolutionary technology that has the potential to lead to the discovery of new Earth-like planets. Physicists have developed an astrocomb, which allows for the analysis of the blue-green light emitted by stars. These astrocombs are able to detect slight variations in a star’s light caused by orbiting exoplanets, which are planets outside of our solar system.
This groundbreaking discovery expands the possibilities within the field of space exploration and could potentially lead to significant discoveries in the realm of astronomy. By examining shorter wavelength light, researchers hope to uncover previously unknown secrets of the universe.
Dr. Samantha Thompson from Cambridge University expressed her excitement over this new technology’s potential to allow for the study of smaller planets with longer orbits. The goal is to discover the first Earth-like planet orbiting around a nearby sun-like star. Heriot-Watt Professor Derryck Reid added that this technology can provide a continuous sequence of optical markers from the ultraviolet to the blue-green, serving as a precision wavelength scale in this part of the spectrum.
The technology is currently being developed for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) being constructed in Chile’s Atacama Desert. This telescope will have a 39-meter primary mirror, making it one of largest visible and infrared light telescopes in existence. The UK team involved in this project will also be working on implementing astrocombs for telescopes in South Africa and Canary Islands. This new technology has exciting prospects for researchers and scientists alike who are eagerly anticipating significant discoveries in space exploration.
