00:01The stars above, what secrets do they keep? One of our biggest questions has
00:08always been, are we alone? We've now discovered thousands of planets beyond
00:14our solar system, but how many of those distant worlds have the conditions for
00:18life as we know it? How many have water vapor, a beacon indicating that oceans
00:25might be present? How many of gases like oxygen and methane, possible signs of
00:32life itself? And of those, which might truly have life? After decades of asking, a
00:40future NASA telescope could bring us the answers.
00:46The habitable world's observator is a future mission designed in the
00:52tradition of the Hubble and Webb space telescopes. It will use its unique and
00:58sensitive eyes to see planets like our own, hiding in the light of their distant
01:03stars. Astronomers could then point this mighty space observatory to the most
01:13promising planets, those that may hold liquid water. With the help of its
01:21coronagraph instrument, which blocks out the dazzling starlight, the telescope
01:26will look for undiscovered Earth-sized planets in the star's habitable zone
01:31where liquid water could exist. The light from each planet will be split into a
01:38vibrant spectrum of colors, revealing clues to the chemical signatures we seek.
01:43From there, we can attempt to discover if a planet's atmosphere contains water, and from
01:50there other signals like oxygen or methane. Should all these signs align, the habitable
01:58world's observatory would delve deeper to reveal other hidden clues of life.
02:08With further study, we could find signs of sprawling oceans and rugged continents. And if signs of life are revealed,
02:18keep a watchful eye for changes over time.
02:25This magnificent observatory could discover dozens of worlds akin to our own in its
02:32first five years. The telescope will gather data on a wide variety of worlds, placing our
02:40own solar system in the context within the grand tapestry of existence. And the habitable
02:47world's observatory will, like the other great cosmic watchers, Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer, Webb, and soon
02:53Roman, also conduct a wide range of revolutionary observations of our cosmos, improving our
03:01understanding of how our universe led to potentially habitable worlds. Thus, the habitable world's observatory will help us embark on a quest as grand as any.
03:16To tell the story of life in the cosmos. And whether or not we are alone.
03:23And whether or not we are alone.
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