The search for the second Earth is one of the most exciting scientific missions for contemporary science. For centuries, astronomers have speculated about their loneliness in the universe, and at the present moment, with technology, we can go much beyond just theory to prove a possible existence of habitable planetary bodies outside of Earth. Searching for a planet that may hold live organisms is definitely more complicated than merely pointing out a telescope and leaving him to find speck-it’s an incredibly intricate thread of brilliant steps.
So here is how scientists search for the ten planets that may harbor alien life:
The Goldilocks Zone
Astronomers first check whether the planet is within the “goldilocks zone” or habitability zone. This happens when the area around a star it circles around is neither too hot nor cold, with water possible on its surface in liquid form-the key ingredient for any kind of life.
Transit Method
The Transition Method is how most of the planets are found, where very small dim lights of stars are observed over a quick period of time while looking closely at them through the telescope. Since the reduction of light usually means a planet is passing in front of that star, so together with the information of the repetitive occurrence over such a timescale, astronomers begin making deductions about parameters such as possible sizes for the planet and speed of its movement.
Wobble Measured
Most simply, the planet is said to be in radial velocity technique; is that a planet orbits a star; and due to the tiny gravity of the moon, it pulls the star gently apart and wobbles. Mainly by analysing the spectrum of light coming from that star can they see this little movement and measure the mass of a planet thus could be inferred.
Searching Rocky Worlds
In terms of general characteristics, it has to be rocky like Earth to possibly make life suitable for living; not a gas giant, such as Jupiter. The mass and size calculated above are being used against this surface area to calculate the density of the planet: if density will be higher than expected, then probably it has a solid surface; on which life could walk or grow.
Atmosphere Analysis
The next step to the planet discovered is “Spectroscopy.” As said in the statement, when a planet is standing before its star then passes, some of that starlight passes through the atmosphere of that planet. It passes through the atmosphere of various gases, from which it absorbs light of different colors (these include oxygen, methane, or carbon dioxide, for example). It might be possible to learn what that planet’s atmosphere is made up of by conducting research on the “missing” colors available.
Searching for Biosignatures
Scientists, for instance, search for “biosignatures”, meaning chemical signatures that could potentially indicate the presence of some forms of life. One good example would be if scientists were to find oxygen and methane at the same time, for those two gases tend to disappear over time unless there exists some form of consumptive producer, like plants or bacteria, that keep producing them.
Lifting the Cloak of the JWST Usefulness
It gives joy to mention among our latest instruments those operating across infrared light: the James Webb Space Telescope. Such advancement actually flips the coin: JWST peer through the cosmic dust and view the atmospheres of very small Earth-sized planets with accuracy never witnessed before.
Evaluating the Parent Star
The condition under which a planet achieves the maximum habitability is through a star; thus, the stability of the star is taken into account. A “Red Dwarf” averages a lifespan of about ten million years, which, though fairly common stars, would often flare up so violently as to strip from any hypothetical planet any atmosphere and wipe out all conceivable forms of life.
“Water Worlds”
Brand new discoveries reveal that planets may be found more or less entirely surrounded by deep oceans. Scientists tried to assess the probability that water would cover the surface of planets using complex mathematical modelling and light-wave analysis; as water is a common solvent for life, described Ocean Worlds are primary targets.
Untapped Capacity of Space Probes
Although no one has sent probes to another star, more accurate maps of thousands of planets are being made through such missions as Kepler and TESS. Indeed, TESS and Kepler Missions give us proof that there are more planets than stars in our galaxy, seeing as it increases chances of finding some worlds that possibly harbor life.
