ESA - Space Science - Exploring space - Vital signs of life on distant worlds

Space Science

About Space Science ESA's 'Cosmic Vision'Science & Technology in-depth

Multimedia

Science images Science videos Animations Downloads Sounds from space

Media centre

Press Releases Press kits ESA Television

Resources

Reference section Glossary FAQs

Science missions

Services

Help Legal disclaimer Comments Subscribe

RSS feeds

ESA Sci on Twitter

Article Images

Vital signs of life on distant worlds

16 January 2003

Back to article

Ozone in a planet's spectrum may indicate the presence of life

Download:

HI RES JPG (Size: 673 kb)

Darwin will most probably look for the spectral signature of ozone, which is unlikely to exist in any quantity for any length of time in the atmosphere of a planet that is not home to life. The background image is a view of Earth seen by the Apollo 17 crew as they traveled toward the Moon. The white patch at the bottom is Antarctica. Unobscured by clouds, Africa and the Arabian Peninsula are visible at the top of this image. The large island off the coast of Africa is the Malagasy Republic.

Credits: ESA 2001. Illustration by Medialab

Back to article

Download:

HI RES JPG (Size: 2104 kb)

HI RES TIFF (Size: 23 334 kb)

Darwin's six telescopes, a central view-combining spacecraft, and communication satellite (shown bottom left).

Credits: ESA 2002. Illustration by Medialab.

Back to article

Download:

HI RES JPG (Size: 4429 kb)

HI RES TIFF (Size: 27 666 kb)

Darwin has six telescopes that analyse the atmospheres of Earth-like planets.

Credits: ESA 2002. Illustration by Medialab.