alternatively of listening for receiving set sign , a chemical group of stargazer is proposing that we research for extraterrestrial being by detecting their satellite ’s exaggerated heat signature — signatures that could be detected in the infrared frequency . But to do so , we ’d have to build the big telescope this earthly concern has ever seen .
write in Astronomy Magazine , a team of astronomers , railroad engineer , and physicists from the University of Hawaii , the University of Freiburg , and elsewhere ismaking the case for infrared SETI . The basic idea is that a sufficiently innovative extraterrestrial civilization will acquire more power on its planet than it receive from its parent lead . This delta in vim could indicate the presence of an alien civilization .
“ The energy footprint of life and civilisation appear as infrared warmth radiation sickness , ” says Jeff Kuhn , the undertaking ’s lead scientist . “ A convenient path to describe the military strength of this signal is in terms of total prima major power that is incident on the host major planet . ”
Thus , pass on a large enough telescope — and one that ’s plan specifically for infrared detection — astronomers could run down the heavens for major planet within a 60 light - year r .
And indeed , there is already a proposal on the tabular array for one such telescope : The Colossus .
Space Dailydescribes the scope :
The quest for lineal infrared detection of extraterrestrial culture , along with many other enquiry possibility , has led the team to the backing and building of a elephantine scope . Currently be after enceinte infrared telescope , the Giant Magellan Telescope , the Thirty Meter Telescope , and the European Extremely Large Telescope , would not be large enough .
Instead , a scope ( dubbed Colossus ) with a principal mirror about 250 feet ( 77 meters ) in diam could find century of Earth - sized or larger planets in habitable zones , and perhaps oodles of extraterrestrial civilizations , by using a sensitive coronagraph — and the applied science to work up such an instrument exists .
The outside squad thus try funding to build a 77 - MB telescope , which would be constructed from revolutionary thin - mirror slumping and polishing technologies train by the Innovative Optics team . The telescope would consist of approximately sixty 8 - m mirror segments , and would work at a gamy - EL site .
In increase , the scope could be used to study stellar surfaces , black holes , and quasar .
Read the entire report at Astronomy : “ How to notice ET with infrared light . ”
Image by NASA / JPL . Telescope via Innovative Optics .
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