Giant Telescope in Chile With 39-Meter Mirror Promises to Surpass James Webb Data — It Can Detect Signs of Life in Just a Few Hours Even Outside the Solar System

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 26/03/2025 at 07:27

Swinburne Astronomy Productions/ESO

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Under Construction In The Atacama Desert In Chile, The Extremely Large Telescope Is About To Change Astronomy. With The Largest Mirror Ever Installed In An Observatory, It Will Be Able To Identify Signs Of Life Found On Exoplanets With Just One Night Of Observation

New Giant Telescope In Chile Could Change Everything We Know About The Universe. Called The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), It Is Scheduled To Begin Operations In 2028.

And right on its first night, it could already detect signs of life on planets around nearby stars, according to new simulations.

The ELT is being built in northern Chile and will have an impressive structure. Its primary mirror will have a specific diameter of 39 meters.

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Telescope Can Analyze Exoplanet Atmospheres Without Focus

One of the most important tools of the giant telescope in Chile will be the analysis of the atmospheres of planets outside our solar system, known as exoplanets. This is done by observing when a planet passes in front of its star from our point of view.

The light from the star passes through the planet’s atmosphere before reaching us. By studying this light, scientists can identify molecules such as water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) already performs this type of analysis. It has obtained data from various exoplanet atmospheres. However, the results are not always clear. One example is the planets b, c, and d of the TRAPPIST-1 system.

The JWST was unable to accurately detect whether they have an atmosphere. The data suggests that they may not have air, but this is still not precise enough.

A greater sensitivity of the ELT could resolve this type of doubt. With it, it will be possible to observe very tenuous atmospheres that the JWST cannot detect. This could lead to important discoveries.

Beyond Planetary Transits: Reflected Light

And there’s more. The ELT does not only rely on planetary transits, meaning when the planet passes in front of the star. It will also be able to study planets that do not make this movement, using the reflected light from the star. This significantly increases the number of exoplanets that can be studied.

To test the potential of the telescope, researchers conducted simulations with various types of planets. They chose worlds that orbit nearby stars. These planets are the most common and likely to be studied in the future.

Telescope Can Find Alien Life In 10 Hours

Four types of Earth-like planets were observed: one with abundant water and vegetation, one with primitive life, one with evaporated oceans like Mars or Venus, and one without life, but with potential for it. Planets the size of Neptune, which have thicker atmospheres, were also simulated.

The idea was to see if the ELT could differentiate each type of planet. And more importantly: to avoid errors. In other words, not to confuse a lifeless planet with one that has life, and vice versa.

The results were positive. According to the study, the ELT will be able to make clear distinctions, at least for nearby stars.

In the case of the closest star to Earth, Proxima Centauri, only ten hours of observation would be needed to detect life on an Earth-like planet. For planets the size of Neptune, only one hour would be sufficient to gather enough data.

With this, the giant telescope in Chile could help answer one of humanity’s greatest questions: are we alone in the universe? And the answer could come in just a few years.

With information from Live Science.

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Giant Telescope in Chile With 39-Meter Mirror Promises to Surpass James Webb Data — It Can Detect Signs of Life in Just a Few Hours Even Outside the Solar System

Under Construction In The Atacama Desert In Chile, The Extremely Large Telescope Is About To Change Astronomy. With The Largest Mirror Ever Installed In An Observatory, It Will Be Able To Identify Signs Of Life Found On Exoplanets With Just One Night Of Observation

Telescope Can Analyze Exoplanet Atmospheres Without Focus

Beyond Planetary Transits: Reflected Light

Telescope Can Find Alien Life In 10 Hours

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Giant Telescope in Chile With 39-Meter Mirror Promises to Surpass James Webb Data — It Can Detect Signs of Life in Just a Few Hours Even Outside the Solar System

Under Construction In The Atacama Desert In Chile, The Extremely Large Telescope Is About To Change Astronomy. With The Largest Mirror Ever Installed In An Observatory, It Will Be Able To Identify Signs Of Life Found On Exoplanets With Just One Night Of Observation

Telescope Can Analyze Exoplanet Atmospheres Without Focus

Beyond Planetary Transits: Reflected Light

Telescope Can Find Alien Life In 10 Hours

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