As we lift our
eyes to the night sky, we are faced with hundreds of
glorious beaming stars.
One of these - a
red dwarf star
known as
Proxima Centauri - is closer than all of them.
At "only" 4.2
light years away, it's practically our neighbor, holding the
distinction of being the closest star to the Sun.
In 2016,
astronomers announced a startling discovery regarding the
star.
Evidence
suggested the existence of an unknown planet circling the
star's orbit.
Journey to the
'Pale Red Dot' examines the process by which scientists hope
to get a better look at the planet, and what might lie in
store for them when they do.
The planet is slightly larger in mass than our own.
Might
the planet be home to water, life, and a climate that is
hospitable to humans? Scientists believe it's a possibility...
The planet
occupies the habitable zone of the star, which means it is
just close enough to warm the environmental elements needed
to sustain life.
Experiments have been launched all around the globe.
If one side of
the planet faces warming light and the other does not,
is it
possible that warm gases can travel far enough to thaw the
cold and icy half of the planet that remains shrouded in
darkness?
The film calls
upon the findings of these research projects headed up by
NASA and other 'private companies'...
Over the next
decade, a new generation of
powerful telescopes will likely
lead to even more refined data such as delineating between
the planet's light and dark sides and gauging its surface
temperatures.
Could we be on the cusp of discovering the existence of
extraterrestrial life?
The film goes
into great detail as it outlines the steps necessary to
determine a definitive answer to that question, including
plans for the construction of a unique spacecraft that can
accommodate our first interstellar journey.
The film raises a series of engrossing possibilities, and
grounds them in real science, realistic animations, the
latest imagery captured by the powerful Hubble telescope,
and a step-by-step outline of previous discoveries have led
us to this point.
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