Exploring the mystery of cosmic dust paves the way to find Earth 2.0

The era of exoplanet hunting is entering a new phase. Telescopes like NASA’s Kepler and TESS have discovered thousands of planets, creating a huge trove of data for scientists to study. This has given them a better understanding of planetary diversity and raised the big question: Could an Earth-like world exist somewhere else in the universe?

This artist's impression shows the cosmic dust flare, a faint white glow above the horizon of the hypothetical planet; the amount of dust around this star system has left astronomers amazed. (Credit: ESO/L. Calçada)

To date, astronomers have confirmed more than 6,000 planets outside the Solar System. The biggest question is: Is there a “second Earth” somewhere in the universe? In other words, humanity is searching for a planet with similar living conditions to Earth. To pursue this goal, scientists have placed high hopes on the Habitable World Observatory (HWO). HWO’s mission is to image at least 25 Earth-like planets and analyze their atmospheres for signs of life.

However, this journey faces a major obstacle. Many stars are surrounded by extra-zoic dust – tiny particles of dust in space. Light from this dust enters telescopes, creating a “light leak” that makes observing planets difficult.

Illustration of a design for a Habitable World Observatory with a star shield; in reality, the telescope could use either a corona or a shield, both of which would block starlight. (Source: NASA)

A new study focuses on the star system Kappa Tucanae A, about 68 light-years from Earth. This unique star system is rich in cosmic dust, emitting unusual infrared light. Scientists found that this variation is related to a new companion star – Kappa Tuc Ab, a small, cool, dim red dwarf about one-third the mass of the Sun, moving in a highly distorted orbit.

The presence of Kappa Tuc Ab is thought to be responsible for stirring up dust, especially when it gets close to Kappa Tucanae Aa. The star can alter the paths of asteroids or comets, adding dust to the system. This makes Kappa Tucanae A a “natural laboratory” for studying extra-zoic dust.

Understanding how dust affects observations is an important step for HWO and future telescopes to distinguish between genuine planet signals and noise. Many other star systems could be hiding undetected companion stars.

As researcher Thomas Stuber shared, the discovery of this companion star was a big surprise, because the Kappa Tucanae A system had been observed many times before. This surprise makes the system even more unique, opening up new research directions on cosmic dust and challenges in the journey to find an Earth version 2.0.

Mr. Quang

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/kham-pha-bi-an-bui-vu-tru-mo-duong-tim-trai-dat-2-0-ar991672.html