News Astronomy

Stopping starlight may bring other Earths into focus

Giant starshade or shape-changing mirror could help telescopes find life-bearing planets

SUN FLOWER A starshade accompanying a proposed planet-hunting telescope, shown in an illustration, would block starlight and make it easier for the telescope to glimpse any planets orbiting distant stars.

NASA

By Christopher Crockett

- More than 2 years ago

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BOSTON — When Voyager 1 pivoted back toward Earth from beyond Neptune in 1990, it snapped one of the most famous space pictures: the pale blue dot, with Earth appearing as a lonely speck of light.