Scientists of Tartu Observatory help open doors to understanding distant worlds.
The Tartu Observatory of the University of Tartu has made remarkable progress over the past three years in the study of exoplanets – planets outside our Solar System. In collaboration with University College London, Uppsala University, and the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the observatory’s researchers have acquired new expertise in modern spectroscopy and the use of machine learning, bringing Estonian science to the forefront of international research.
“Our Milky Way galaxy contains, on average, between one and two planets for every star — amounting to hundreds of billions in total.” explained Associate Professor of Binary Stars at the Tartu Observatory, Laurits Leedjärv. “We still don’t know whether among them there are Earth twins that host life similar to or completely different from that on our planet.”
When discussing the possibility of life on planets, we must first understand their host stars – the stars around which exoplanets orbit. Exoplanet research is one of the fastest-growing fields in astronomy, bringing together scientists from all over the world with a shared goal: to understand these distant worlds. Although the number of known exoplanets has now exceeded 6,000 and may soon reach 20,000 or more, the number of host stars that have been studied in sufficient detail remains relatively small.
Spectroscopy of planets and their host stars is essential for the detailed study of extrasolar planets – to understand their chemical diversity and, more broadly, the processes leading to the formation of planetary systems. Understanding how planets form may bring us closer to answering the great question of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe.
It is precisely the study of exoplanet host stars that is the focus of the international collaboration project EXOHOST, whose goal is to establish Tartu Observatory as the leading center in this field in Northern Europe and the Baltics. Through this project, researchers have improved their research methods, applied machine learning techniques to the analysis of large-scale observational data, and built strong connections with Europe’s leading astronomical institutions.
International conference brings together scientists studying the links between stars and planets
From October 14 to 17, an international conference takeD place in Tartu, bringing together scientists from more than twenty countries, including from Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. The focus was on the complex relationships between stars, planets, and protoplanetary disks – questions such as how planetary systems form and what factors shape their diversity.
Discussions will also cover data from existing and upcoming major observational instruments and programs such as Ariel, LAMOST, and 4MOST – telescopes that collect vast amounts of stellar spectral data from different regions of the Galaxy. This data allows scientists to study, for example, the chemical compositions, motions, and ages of stars. From this mosaic, a clearer picture is emerging of which types of stars and under what conditions planets most often form.
“Each new measurement and model helps us better understand how our own Solar System fits into the larger picture of the universe,” said Laurits Leedjärv. “Tartu Observatory plays an important role in this picture – for example, within the framework of the European Space Agency’s Ariel mission, our task is to carry out a preliminary study determining the key parameters and chemical composition of exoplanet host stars. Determining the physical properties of the host star helps reconstruct the formation history of the planet orbiting it.”
Three years of work and new horizons ahead
The conference in Tartu marked the culmination of the international collaboration project EXOHOST and summarizes three years of institutional development work. During this period, Tartu Observatory has grown into one of the key centers for the study of exoplanet host stars, strengthening both its scientific capabilities and its position in the international research network, while preparing a new generation of scientists capable of participating in major international space programs.
“EXOHOST is not merely a project – it has been an investment in scientific culture, in people, and in the future,” emphasized Anna Aret, Associate Professor of Stellar Physics and head of the project consortium. “It has created the opportunity to participate in major research initiatives and to contribute to discoveries that may change our understanding of the universe. Our next goal is to apply this knowledge and expertise in new international collaboration projects.”
- The conference can also be followed via live broadcast.
- More information about the project.
- More information about the conference.
- Previous days live broadcasts.
The EXOHOST project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101079231 (EXOHOST), and from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee (grant number 10051045).
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