They say it could also improve understanding of how the universe naturally expands.
Physicists based at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and Cambridge University have developed a form of astrocomb – a laser system that allows astronomers to observe tiny changes in the colour of starlight, revealing hidden planets in the process.
However, the breakthrough will allow scientists to utilise the ultraviolet to blue-green part of the spectrum, which means they will be able to discover even more secrets hidden in space. “Until now, astrocombs operated mainly in the green-to-red part of the spectrum of light, but the shorter-wavelength ultraviolet to blue-green region is rich in the atomic absorption features of interest to astronomers.
They also work with astronomers in Cambridge, Uppsala and Capetown on astrocombs for telescopes in the Canary Islands and South Africa.He said: “A nice analogy is in rock music, where audio distortion is heard when the signal from an electric guitar is high, but not when it is lower.
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