Astronomers will be able to image Earth-like planets by 2025

[alberto91]

Hi,

I would like to share with you guys a couple of interesting simulations.

This simulation belongs to an Earth-like planet located 4 light-years away, imaged with the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), expected in 2025:

 

This other simulation belongs to an Earth-like planet located 40 light-years away, imaged with the Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR), expected in 2035:

 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEU0gL6ONvg

 

What is the first exoplanet you would like to see an image of?

[vlaiv]

I'm not really convinced that is true. Maybe we can do math together and see if that is possible?

ELT will have primary with diameter of 39.4m which means that Airy disk will be about 0.007" and maximum sampling rate would be ~0.001" - meaning every pixel would be 1mas (1 milli arc second).

If we solve for diameter - angle of 1mas will give 0.010193 light minutes for object that is 2102400 light minutes away - 4 * 365 * 24 * 60, or light years).

Light travels at 300000km/s so it travels 183474km in 0.010193 minutes.

Earth sized planet will have diameter of about 12700km, or would occupy 1/14th of a single pixel and certainly not 9 pixels.

If we take that 1 pixel is ~183500Km then 9 pixels across would be 1.6 million kilometers and that is close to Sun like object with 1.3 million kilometers.

If above simulation is anything real then it is much more likely to be simulation of image of Solar diameter star at distance of 4Ly rather than earth sized planet.