Distant Wanderers: The Search for Planets Beyond the Solar System [Paperback]

Recent discoveries of planet-like objects circling other sun-like stars have stirred enormous interest in what other planets may exist in the universe, and whether they could support intelligent life. This book takes us into the midst of this search for extrasolar planets. Unlike other books, it focuses on the people behind the searches -- many known personally by the author -- and the extraordinary technology that is currently on the drawing boards. The author is an experienced, award-winning science journalist who was previously technology correspondent for the Financial Times of London. He has written on many topics in astronomy and astrobiology in over 35 different newspapers and magazines worldwide.Recent discoveries of planet-like objects circling other sun-like stars have stirred enormous interest in what other planets may exist in the universe, and whether they support intelligent life, or at least could do so. This book will take us into the thick of this search for extrasolar planets. Unlike other books, it will focus on the people behind the searches--many of whom the author knows--and the extraordinary technology that is on the drawing boards and currently in use to detect distant wanderers and describe their characteristics, thus bringing us to the cutting edge of knowledge of the subject. The author is an experienced, award-winning science journalist who was technology correspondent for the Financial Times of London and is now working as a journalist in France. He has written on many topics in astronomy and astrobiology, and has had pieces published in over 35 different newspapers and magazines worldwide.Preface; 1. Cauldrons of Creation; 2. The Dust of Creation; 3. Spectroscopic Nights; 4. Planetary Hype; 5. The Thrill of the Hunt; 6. The Lithium Test; 7. Expanding the Search; 8. Planetary Demarcations; 9. In Pursuit of the Perfect Image; 10. The Ancient Art of Astrometry; 11. Interferometric Beginnings; 12. Working on the Fringe; 13. Power Telescopeslƒ˝