New Camera to Look for Alien Life
Tuesday, 2025/11/11157 words2 minutes1942 reads
Scientists at Durham University are contributing to the development of a groundbreaking camera. This high-resolution imaging device is designed to aid in the search for life on distant planets.
The camera will be installed on NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), which is set to launch in the early 2040s. This telescope will be the first specifically created to find Earth-like planets and examine them for signs of life.
One of the main challenges in studying rocky planets like Earth is their proximity to bright stars. To overcome this, the telescope will use a tool called a coronagraph to block the star's glare, allowing the planets to be observed.
Researchers hope this advanced camera will be able to measure a planet's mass and analyze its atmosphere for chemical indicators of life. Professor Richard Massey from Durham University describes it as the '21st Century's Hubble Space Telescope', capable of making significant discoveries beyond just the search for alien life.
