A space telescope was pointed at a lunar eclipse for the first time ever, and the results could aid the search for signs of life on other planets
This artist's rendition shows the Hubble Space Telescope observing a lunar eclipse in January 2019. TORONTO -- The first lunar eclipse ever observed by the Hubble Space Telescope offers a close-to-home example of how astronomers will look for signs of life on Earth-like planets in far-away solar systems.
The key to the experiment was ozone, the gas that protects all forms of life from harsh exposure to the sun's UV rays and is therefore seen as a necessary ingredient for life to exist anywhere else. Earth's ozone layer has been detected during lunar eclipses in the past, but always from our side – meaning it was accompanied by distortion from other parts of the atmosphere.
Telescopes larger than the Hubble are currently in development. Once complete, they will be used to research planets outside our solar system – including by scanning for ozone, now that the Hubble's experiment can be deemed a success, the ESA said.
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