[X] My Assistant

[vikingmars]

In 2009, the Planetary Society (TPS) made a grant to Yale University astronomer Debra Fischer. With those funds, Debra and her team developed the FINDS Exo-Earths project to record the light from distant stars with increased precision in the search for Earth-like planets, which they then installed on the telescope at Lick Observatory in California. "I'm betting that there are planets like Earth or Mars or Venus around either or both of the stars of Alpha Centauri, and the only question is whether we'll be able to detect them," said Debra Fischer in 2009.
Well... If the astronomers succeed in detecting small planets orbiting around "Alpha-A" and/or "Alpha-B" stars, no doubt that it will be a scientific bombshell -- and also, it will raise the question of how we might someday send a probe to get a closer look.

Now, Debra Fischer and her team are focusing again on Earth’s nearest neighboring star system, Alpha Centauri, to look for Earth-like planets. And TPS wants everyone interested by this great quest to join the team. The telescope will be in the southern hemisphere to see Alpha Centauri, so Debra and her team need to rent time at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. They need TPS to sponsor at least 20 nights of observation time.
And because Alpha Centauri B shares the system with Alpha Centauri A, we can also begin to understand the question : how do planets develop in a true binary system, pulled by two gravitational bodies?

As a TPS member, but also belonging to Societe Astronomique in France, I'm really thrilled by this new research project which fits exactly within TPS's goals which are: "To inspire and involve the world's public in space exploration through advocacy, projects, and education".
Many thanks to the TPS's team for this idea of great science value
Now you can, please like me, follow the link and make a donation :
http://support.planetary.org/site/Donation...&df_id=1640

Also, I put herebelow some interesting links and science articles abour the "A-B" system, you may like to read to better understand what it is all about.
Enjoy !
http://www.planetary.org/explore/projects/finds/
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/bruce-betts...ound-alpha.html

 Davis_1b_xxx.pdf ( 585.56K ) Number of downloads: 835
("One planet can be reliably detected after the first 2 years of observations, and 3 planets can be detected within 4.7 years." !!!)
 AlphaCenApJPaper_2__Part1.pdf ( 291.76K ) Number of downloads: 714

[vikingmars]

I just received from TPS my "Certificate of Mission Participation" and I discovered that my 50 USD offered 15 minutes of observation time to search for exoplanets in the Alpha Centauri system... I'm proud of being member of TPS and now it's time to donate : maybe one of you will offer the minutes when a crucial observation will be made also. Thanks in advance for your support and thanks to TPS to have this mission available to all !