“Detecting transiting exoplanets with a worldwide array of these powerful backyard telescopes will generate invaluable astronomical data,” explained Franck Marchis, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute and Unistellar’s Chief Scientific Officer. “With enough data points collected from coordinated observing campaigns using eVscopes, scientists will be able to refine the orbits of those new worlds, probe their surroundings, and detect tiny gravitational influences that indicate of the presence of a smaller nearby exoplanet in the same system.”
A single Unistellar eVscope was sufficient to make this detection. Soon, the company will start delivering more than 2,500 pre-ordered digital telescopes. This will create the world’s largest network of citizen astronomers, each of whom will be able to engage in an unprecedented level of collaboration with professional, amateur, and even novice astronomers conducting worldwide observation campaigns—including large institutional exoplanetary projects such as TESS, PLATO and JWST.
“The Unistellar eVscope has demonstrated that it is both a breathtaking deep-sky observing device and a groundbreaking scientific tool,” said Laurent Marfisi, Unistellar’s CEO. “By proving that exoplanet detection is possible with our citizen astronomy network, we are getting closer to our goal of creating a new and unprecedented level of space exploration.”
About Unistellar
Unistellar is the start-up behind the eVscope, a unique, compact, and user-friendly digital telescope. Its light-amplification technology allows users to observe galaxies, nebulae, and comets in unparalleled crisp and colorful detail. In partnership with the SETI Institute, the Unistellar eVscope also allows anyone to contribute to astronomical discoveries while observing.
The Unistellar eVscope received a CES Innovation Award in 2018 in the category Tech for a Better World and has been nominated for a SXSW 2019 Innovation Award. It has raised more than $3 million through crowdfunding, and more than 2,500 digital telescopes have already been pre-ordered.
Unistellar will be present at the Star’s Up Meudon, near Paris, on June 28 and 29, and at the World Conference of Science Journalists in Lausanne on July 2 and 3.
View/download the press release here: https://en.calameo.com/read/004812363ea30b235e30a
About the SETI Institute
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.
Contact information
Ludovic Nachury
Head of Communication
[email protected]
+33 6 24 31 63 89
Rebecca McDonald
Director of Communications
SETI Institute
189 Bernardo Ave., Suite 200
Mountain View, CA 94043
[email protected]
www.seti.org
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