Hunting exoplanets and black holes to be top priority in astronomy for this decade

Astronomers have chalked out a plan for the next decade, where they have prioritised what major mysteries there are to solve out there in our vast universe. According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, presented a decadal report emphasising the need to hunt and locate potentially habitable planets and strengthen the “extraordinary progress” already made in astronomy, in the next 10 years. According to the news agency, the report stated,

"Life on Earth may be the result of a common process, or it may require such an unusual set of circumstances that we are the only living beings within our part of the galaxy, or even in the universe. Either answer is profound. The coming decades will set humanity down a path to determine whether we are alone." 

Among the top priorities in the report are the discovery and study of hidden exoplanets — planets outside our Solar System — out in the universe and the exploration of the origin and evolution of black holes along with neutron stars, galaxies and ultimately, the entire universe. Another agenda that sits on the top is to make the field of astronomy more inclusive and diverse. Reportedly, the 614-page report stressed more women's participation among the male-dominated astronomy ranks and advised the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to prepare a diverse team for its future missions and research projects. 

The report and its significance

Named 'Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s' the report is a roadmap for astronomical studies in a particular decade. As per Space.com, Fiona Harrison, co-chair of the National Academies' steering committee said, "This report sets an ambitious, inspirational and aspirational vision for the coming decade of astronomy and astrophysics. In changing how we plan for the most ambitious strategic space projects, we can develop a broad portfolio of missions to pursue visionary goals, such as searching for life on planets orbiting stars in our galactic neighbourhood — and at the same time exploit the richness of 21st-century astrophysics through a panchromatic fleet."

In order to ensure the three major goals, the formation of a "Great Observatories Mission and Technology Maturation Program" has been recommended, which reportedly is an extension of NASA's Great Observatories program that included the Hubble Space Telescope. 

Sponsored by NASA, National Science Foundation, Energy Department and Air Force, the report also recommended NASA to oversee space observatories and overlapping missions in the coming decades by creating a new office. Moreover, it reiterated to the scientific agencies about adding more diversity in upper levels of administration and while funding a particular project, and suggested treating harassment and discrimination “as forms of scientific misconduct". 

(Image: Twitter/@NASAHubble)