'Planet Hunters' are looking for signs of extraterrestrial life around nearby stars

Planetary Proxima b: " Planet Hunters " are looking for signs of extraterrestrial life around nearby stars. After the team called Pale Red Dot determined that the planet Proxima b had the necessary conditions to maintain human life, the team planned to search for the outer planets around 15 nearby stars.

1. Why have scientists discovered Proxima b now - "Second Earth"?
2. Is Proxima b our "neighbor" planet?

Astronomer Guillem Anglada-Escude.Photo source: Jay Brooks

Astronomer Guillem Anglada-Escude spent four years building a research team searching for alien planet Proxima b, an Earth-like planet closest to the solar system. Discovered in August 2016, outer planet Proxima b revolves around a red dwarf Proxima Centauri , located 4.2 light years from our Earth. [6 strange facts about Proxima Centauri b - "Left second land "you may not know yet]

Extraterrestrial " Second Earth " planet is located just outside the solar system that may have alien life.Photo source: Space

Extraterrestrial Proxima b is larger than Earth and has a temperature range that can contain water in liquid form. In short, it is the closest place to search for life in the neighboring " neighbor " planet. " The closest stars and red dwarfs, Proxima-like, are places where we have the opportunity to verify questions, " said Anglada-Escudé, 37, an astronomer at the school. Queen Mary University London said.

Photo source: ESO / M.Kornmesser

For years, scientists have speculated that there is a planet hidden near " Second Earth " - Proxima Centauri but they do not have physical observation tools to back up the theory. The spectral data files show that there is something that Proxima Centauri is being pulled back and forth, but nothing can reconcile the " violent flare " phenomenon with a planet's orbit. Astronomers need to " troubleshoot " star activities from signals.

In 2014, astronomer Anglada-Escude devised a way to analyze data to find more accurate signals from spectrophotometers. This draws attention to applied mathematicians at the University of Hertfordshire. Together they developed a theoretical model of Proxima Centauri, all they needed was evidence to support them, as well as access to historical data and terrestrial telescopes.

Photo source: ESO / M.Kornmesser / G.Coleman

So, astronomer Anglada-Escudé and his colleagues came up to find enthusiasts who learn about Proxima Centauri around the world participating in a campaign called Pale Red Dot. Within 60 nights in 2016, 31 people in the team obtained new data from the Planet Searcher (HARPS) High Accuracy Radial velocity telescope (HARPS) in Chile. They did this while monitoring all Proxima Centauri's activities with a series of telescopes. To get good results, scientists clearly see the planet's orbital cycle in the received signals. Thanks to the observation of the telescope, they could eliminate the interference from the stars.

Astronomer Guillem Anglada-Escude

Later, astronomer Anglada-Escude plans to mobilize other researchers to assist in finding extrasolar planets around the other 15 nearby nearby stars. " Within 2 or 3 years, we can detect many Proxima-like planets ," Anglada-Escude said. Finding life in the universe will become much more " bustling ".