The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), being built in Chile, could search for signs of alien life in just a few hours, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Washington and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The study says that ELT can detect biosignatures such as chemical signs of life on planets in our solar system and around Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun.
“For Proxima Centauri b, the most accessible nearby planet, we may be able to confirm or rule out a sub-Neptune atmosphere in just one hour of observation,” the study stated. The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) may not only detect signs of life but also identify uninhabited planets and rule out false biosignatures, according to a new study.
Differentiate habitable and uninhabitable planets
The ELT will be able to study both transiting and non-transiting planets. For transiting planets, it will analyze starlight passing through their atmospheres to gather important spectral data. For non-transiting planets, it will examine reflected light from their surfaces to understand their composition.
“While studying Earth-like exoplanets is challenging, the ELT era will likely provide the first chance to explore the atmospheres of non-transiting exoplanets and look for signs of life on our closest planetary neighbours,” the study stated.
Construction delays have pushed ELT’s operational start to 2029, with its first observations expected in March, according to ESO. Full scientific operations are set to begin by December 2030 after installing and commissioning the initial instruments.
ELT’s massive primary mirror will consist of 798 small mirrors, each controlled by three pistons and 12 edge sensors to maintain its precise parabolic shape. Together, they will form a 39.3-meter-wide surface.
The telescope’s dome, standing 22 stories tall with an 87-meter diameter, will house the 6,000-tonne structure, which can rotate 1.5 times while the telescope moves independently with extreme precision. ELT will deliver images 16 times sharper than those from the Hubble Space Telescope.
You might also be interested in – NASA to launch SPHEREx telescope to explore the universe and search for water
