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It’s probably the most thrilling time of yr for astronomers. Not due to the vacations or the launch of a brand new telescope, however as a result of this week noticed the discharge of the decadal survey from the Nationwide Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medication. This report, launched each 10 years, lays out plans for the following decade of astronomy within the U.S. — what to review, and what to construct.
The Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020, often called Astro2020, prioritizes three most important themes for the following decade of analysis: The seek for doubtlessly liveable exoplanets, understanding the mysteries of the universe together with darkish matter and the best way the universe is increasing and studying about how galaxies type. It additionally acknowledges the significance of increasing variety and entry in astronomy and supporting researchers who’re early of their careers.
One of many greatest suggestions is for a brand new “Nice Observatory” to exchange the getting old Hubble House Telescope, which has had a collection of issues this yr as a consequence of its aged {hardware}. The report recommends an enormous new telescope successor which might function within the optical, infrared, and ultraviolet wavelengths and which may very well be used for duties like observing distant exoplanets to see in the event that they may very well be doubtlessly liveable.
The beneficial big telescope could be a mash-up of two proposals: NASA’s Liveable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx) mission and its Massive Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) mission. At a value of $11 billion, it could be capable to see distant, dim planets that are 10 billion instances fainter than the celebrities round which they orbit.
Wanting even additional into the longer term, the report recommends that NASA units up a “Nice Observatories Mission and Know-how Maturation Program” to develop much more telescopes, named after NASA’s 4 flagship observatories of the Nineties and early 2000s.
“This report units an bold, inspirational, and aspirational imaginative and prescient for the approaching decade of astronomy and astrophysics,” mentioned Fiona Harrison, chair of the division of physics, arithmetic, and astronomy on the California Institute of Know-how, in an announcement. “In altering how we plan for probably the most bold strategic area tasks, we will develop a broad portfolio of missions to pursue visionary targets, corresponding to trying to find life on planets orbiting stars in our galactic neighborhood — and on the identical time exploit the richness of Twenty first-century astrophysics by a panchromatic fleet.”
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