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The Search for Other Earths

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Claude Thomas Walker and Dave H asenauer, Optical Research Associates

Optical Research Associates gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Dr. Wesley Traub and Michael Devirian of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, whose expertise and insight were invaluable during research for this article.

In recent years, astronomers have discovered more than 350 extrasolar planets, or exoplanets. But typical detection techniques are best suited for finding planets that are very dissimilar to Earth in terms of size and orbital characteristics, and it is unlikely that any of these harbor life. So how do astronomers look for planets that could support life? NASA has proposed the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) mission specifically to identify and characterize Earthlike planets using spaceborne instrumentation. TPF mission parameters The primary goal of the TPF program is to identify...Read full article

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    Published: October 2009
    Glossary
    astronomy
    The scientific observation of celestial radiation that has reached the vicinity of Earth, and the interpretation of these observations to determine the characteristics of the extraterrestrial bodies and phenomena that have emitted the radiation.
    coronagraph
    A telescope in which a mask occults the solar disk, generating an artificial eclipse and allowing observation and recording of the sun's corona.
    diffraction rings
    1. The ring patterns of light that seem to encircle particles in the field of a microscope. 2. See Newton's rings.
    Airy diskastronomyBasic Sciencebeam propagation analysisbeam synthesis propagationbeamletsBSPCalifornia Institute of TechnologyClaude Thomas WalkerCode VcoronagraphDave Hasenauerdiffraction modelingdiffraction ringsEarthenergyexoplanetsextrasolar planetsFeaturesGaussian intensity profileHasenauerHubbleImaginginfrared interferometerinternal coronagraphJet Propulsion LaboratoryJPLlenseslifeLyot coronagraphmirrorsmolecular oxygenNASAocculter maskoptical delay linesoptical designOptical Research AssociatesOpticsozonePasadenaphase relationshipphase-induced amplitude apodizationPIAAplanetspupil mappingSoftwarespaceborne instrumentationstarlightstarsSuntelescopesTerrestrial Planet FinderTPFWafersWalkerwater vapor

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