Why We Need to Understand Stars to Find The Next Earth
Rachel Osten, Space Telescope Science Institute
Astronomers have discovered more than a thousand exoplanets in our galaxy. Now, the race is on to find the extrasolar planet that most closely resembles Earth and has the greatest potential to support life. But, remember, planets orbit stars! Knowledge of the stellar hosts is crucial to being able to find the next Earth. This journey of investigation can be filled with pitfalls and potential wrong turns based on what we know and don’t know about the stars that host the planets that might host life.
Host: Dr. Frank Summers
Recorded live on April 5, 2016 at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, MD, USA
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