Astronomer praises new Mt John equipment

Press, 6 December 1985, Page 5

Astronomer praises new Mt John equipment

New equipment installed in the Mount John Observatory at Lake Tekapo could be used to find planets round other stars, according to a visiting astronomer. Dr Dave Latham, of the Harvard Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, said some of the equipment, made by University of Canterbury staff and students, was among the best of its kind. Combined with the new onemetre telescope, nearing completion at the observatory, a spectrograph made by the university could join the mounting searh for planets outside the solar system. He praised the staff and students of the university

and observatory for their ingenuity and imagination. Dr Latham was in Christchurch for the International Astronomical Union symposium being held at Christchurch Teachers’ College. Only a few planets had so far been detected and there was great controversy in the scientific world over whether any of the “discoveries” had been of planets.

A spectrograph is able to detect slight movements in stars, caused by orbiting planets. Because the movements are so small the equipment is likely only to find gigantic gaseous planets such as Jupiter, which could not support life. But finding proof of the

existence of any planet, regardless of whether it supported life, was an exciting prospect, said Dr Latham. Smaller telescopes, such as the one at Mount John, were ideal for research into the existence of other planets. They could be easily dedicated to the need for sightings taken over several years or decades. The giant telescopes were under pressure for making breakthroughs and providing follow-up information within a year.

Because today’s equipment would be able to find only large gaseous planets, man’s only chance of finding intelligent life elsewhere in

the universe in the next 30 years was by making contact with it. Dr Latham said several “very serious” projects were under way in the Soviet Union and United States to look for radio signals from other worlds.

It was a “long slogging search” and man was still able to cover only the tiniest fractiion of the available territory. “It could take 50 years or it could happen next week,” said Dr Latham.

Does he think the search for other planets and intelligent life worth while? “If we don’t look, we”ll never know.”