Astronomy

A new hunt for an Earth analog begins

The experiment will monitor dozens of sunlike stars with enough precision to detect Earth twins

Image of a ground-based telescope that will scan the skies for exoplanets similar to Earth

In December, this telescope in the Canary Islands will soon start looking for an Earth twin.

Clark Baker

By Mićo Tatalović

Over the last three decades, astronomers have discovered more than 6,000 planets outside our solar system — yet none that look just like home. That might be about to change.