“`html
NASA’s Pandora Telescope to Refine Exoplanet Atmosphere Studies
Launched on January 11, 2026, from Vandenberg Space Force base in California, the Pandora telescope marks a significant step forward in the search for and understanding of exoplanets – planets orbiting stars beyond our Sun. Developed by NASA, Pandora is designed to provide a more precise analysis of exoplanet atmospheres, complementing the work of the James Webb Space Telescope.
The Challenge of Exoplanet Atmosphere Analysis
Currently, astronomers study exoplanet atmospheres by analyzing the light from their host star as the planet passes in front of it (a process called transit spectroscopy). As starlight filters through the planet’s atmosphere, certain wavelengths are absorbed by different gases, revealing clues about the atmosphere’s composition, including the presence of clouds and water vapor. However, this method is often hampered by the inherent instability of stars.
Since the late 2000s, researchers have identified stellar activity, such as starspots and magnetic fluctuations, as a source of interference. These phenomena can mimic signals from planetary atmospheres, leading to inaccurate data and potentially false positives in the search for biosignatures – indicators of life. NASA is actively working to mitigate these issues.
Pandora: A Dedicated Stellar Observer
Pandora is engineered to address these stellar interference problems. Initiated in 2018, the telescope functions as a companion to the James Webb Space telescope. While James Webb focuses on characterizing planets and their systems, Pandora will specifically monitor the behavior of the host stars. By precisely tracking stellar activity, Pandora will allow scientists to differentiate between signals originating from the star and those from the exoplanet’s atmosphere.
Despite being smaller and less expensive to build than James Webb, Pandora offers a unique observational advantage. It will continuously observe a single star for up to 24 hours, multiple times throughout the year, using both visible light and infrared cameras. This sustained observation will provide a detailed record of stellar variations.
Combining Data for a Clearer Picture
The data collected by Pandora will be combined with observations from the James Webb Space Telescope. This synergy will refine our understanding of exoplanet
