The Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project

In summary, the Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project is a worldwide network of amateur astronomers searching for new potentially habitable exoplanets. The project is coordinated by over 20 observatories located in 5 continents and is focused on monitoring non-flare G, K, and M-type stars within 100 light years for several months. The goal is to find habitable exoplanets around these stars, which are currently lacking in known discoveries. The project estimates that there could be around 25 potentially habitable exoplanets within 100 light years based on the number of non-flare stars and the likelihood of transits in the habitable zone. The project utilizes CCD cameras with a resolution of at least 16 bits to detect small
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alberto91
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TL;DR Summary
A worldwide network of amateur astronomers searching for new potentially habitable exoplanets.
Hi all!

We are looking for more observatories and amateur astronomers who might want to join the project.

The Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project is a worldwide network of amateur astronomers searching for new potentially habitable exoplanets. I am coordinating over 20 observatories located in 5 continents.

We are searching for habitable exoplanets around non-flare G, K and M-type stars located within 100 ly.

The stars we are monitoring already have known transiting exoplanets, but none of them are potentially habitable.

We are monitoring each star 24/7 for several months. By doing so, we believe that the chances of finding an exoplanet increase for particular targets. Moreover, we are focusing on stars closer than 100 light years because, on the one hand, the closest habitable exoplanets will be the first destinations of interstellar missions and, on the other, because very few nearby habitable exoplanets around G and K-type stars have been discovered: only 2 of them.

The number of potentially habitable exoplanets that we could discover is, in theory, around 25. This calculation was obtained by taking into account the number of non-flare stars within 100 light years and the percentage of them that should show transits in the habitable zone.

Each observatory observes the same star and, when the transit of a hypothetical habitable exoplanet becomes unlikely, we move to another star.

Within 100 light years, we only found 10 non-flare G, K and M-type stars with known transiting exoplanets not potentially habitable.

Big telescopes are not necessary, but CCD cameras with a resolution of at least 16 bits are advisable because we are searching for exoplanets that produce a change of brightness in the star of around 0.1%.

If you are interested, feel free to contact me.

More info: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A7gEaewOws&feature=youtu.be
 
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Anybody interested?

I was recently interviewed by Tony Darnell from Deep Astronomy:

 

1. What is the Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project?

The Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project is a scientific research project that aims to discover and study exoplanets (planets outside of our solar system) that have the potential to support life. This project involves using advanced telescopes and other technologies to detect and analyze the characteristics of these exoplanets.

2. How does the Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project work?

The project works by using a variety of methods to detect exoplanets, such as the transit method (observing a planet passing in front of its star) and the radial velocity method (detecting the gravitational pull of a planet on its star). Once potential exoplanets are identified, further observations and analysis are conducted to determine if they are indeed habitable.

3. What makes a planet habitable?

A habitable planet is one that has the right conditions to support life as we know it. This includes factors such as the presence of liquid water, a suitable atmosphere, and a stable climate. Other factors, such as the planet's distance from its star and the composition of its surface, also play a role in determining habitability.

4. What have been the major discoveries of the Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project?

The Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project has made numerous significant discoveries, including the first confirmed Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star (Kepler-186f), the first exoplanet with a similar size and orbit to Earth (Proxima Centauri b), and the first exoplanet with an atmosphere that could potentially support life (K2-18b).

5. What are the potential implications of the Habitable Exoplanet Hunting Project?

The project has the potential to greatly expand our understanding of the universe and our place in it. By discovering and studying habitable exoplanets, we can gain insights into the conditions necessary for life to exist, as well as the potential for life beyond Earth. This could also have implications for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and our future as a space-faring species.

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