Scientists at Cornell University and the American Museum of Natural History have identified 2,034 nearby star-systems -- within the small cosmic dista

Exoplanets in 2,034 star-systems get cosmic front-row seat to see Earth -- ScienceDaily

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2021-06-26 16:00:04

Scientists at Cornell University and the American Museum of Natural History have identified 2,034 nearby star-systems -- within the small cosmic distance of 326 light-years -- that could find Earth merely by watching our pale blue dot cross our sun.

That's 1,715 star-systems that could have spotted Earth since human civilization blossomed about 5,000 years ago, and 319 more star-systems that will be added over the next 5,000 years.

Exoplanets around these nearby stars have a cosmic front-row seat to see if Earth holds life, the scientists said in research published June 23 in Nature.

"From the exoplanets' point-of-view, we are the aliens," said Lisa Kaltenegger, professor of astronomy and director of Cornell's Carl Sagan Institute, in the College of Arts and Sciences.

"We wanted to know which stars have the right vantage point to see Earth, as it blocks the Sun's light," she said. "And because stars move in our dynamic cosmos, this vantage point is gained and lost."

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