NASA Space Telescope creates 3D map of neighboring star systems to search for extraterrestrial life

Scientists have used data from NASA’s X-ray telescope to create a three-dimensional map of stars near the Sun, which will help in the search for habitable planets.

The «Chandra» Space Telescope has created a three-dimensional map of stars located at a distance of 16.3 to 49 light years from the Sun. This distance is close enough for telescopes to collect wavelengths of light, or «spectra, from planets in the habitable zones of these stars. Such a zone, or «habitable zone», is the region around a star that is neither too hot nor too cold to allow liquid water to exist on the surface of a planet.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory «Chandra» is a NASA space observatory designed to study the Universe in the X-ray range. It is one of the most powerful X-ray telescopes, enabling astronomers to study high-temperature phenomena such as black holes, supernovae, and galaxy clusters. Through his observations, Chandra has helped to significantly expand our understanding of the structure and evolution of the Universe.

The team of scientists used data from 10 days of «Chandra» observations and 26 days of observations from the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton telescope. They determined the brightness of the stars in the X-ray range, the energy of this radiation and the rate of its change.

Sarah Peacock from the University of Maryland said:

The researchers note that some of the studied stars already have known exoplanets with masses and sizes similar to the gas giants of the Solar System. However, there may be undiscovered Earth-like planets in these systems.

Edward Schwieterman from the University of California, Riverside summarizes:

Results research presented at the 244th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Madison, Wisconsin.

Source: Space