Guillem Anglada-Escudé facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guillem Anglada-Escude
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Guillem Anglada
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| Born | 1979 Ullastrell, Barcelona, Spain
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| Nationality | Spanish |
| Alma mater | University of Barcelona PhD |
| Known for | Search for extrasolar planets |
| Awards | Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world (2017) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy, Planetary science, Astrophysics |
| Institutions | Institut de Ciències de l'Espai (2019-) Queen Mary University of London (2013–2019) University of Hertfordshire (2014-2015) University of Göttingen (2012-2013) Carnegie Institution of Washington (2008-2011) |
| Thesis | Experiments and relativistic models for optical astrometry from space. Application to the Gaia mission (2007) |
| Doctoral advisor | Jordi Torra, Sergei A. Klioner |
Guillem Anglada-Escudé (born in 1979) is a Spanish astronomer. He is famous for leading a team that found a planet orbiting the star Proxima Centauri. This planet, called Proxima Centauri b, is the closest planet outside our solar system that might be able to support life.
In 2017, Time magazine named Anglada-Escudé one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Nature magazine also listed him as one of the top 10 scientists of 2016. He currently works as a researcher at the Institut de Ciències de l'Espai in Spain.
Contents
Who is Guillem Anglada-Escudé?
Guillem Anglada-Escudé is a scientist who studies space. He focuses on finding and understanding extrasolar planets. These are planets that orbit stars other than our Sun. His work helps us learn more about other worlds in the universe.
Finding Proxima Centauri b
In 2016, Guillem Anglada-Escudé led a special project called the Pale Red Dot campaign. This project used powerful telescopes to look closely at the star Proxima Centauri. This star is the closest one to our Sun.
The Discovery Process
The team carefully watched Proxima Centauri for many weeks. They were looking for tiny wobbles in the star's movement. These wobbles can show that a planet's gravity is pulling on the star. After a lot of hard work, they confirmed that a planet was indeed orbiting Proxima Centauri. They named it Proxima Centauri b.
Why Proxima Centauri b is Special
Proxima Centauri b is exciting because it is relatively close to Earth. It also orbits its star in a "habitable zone." This means it's not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist on its surface. Liquid water is very important for life as we know it. The discovery of Proxima Centauri b was a big step in the search for life beyond Earth.
Awards and Recognition
Guillem Anglada-Escudé's discovery of Proxima Centauri b brought him worldwide attention. His work was recognized by major science and news organizations.
- In 2016, Nature magazine, a very important science journal, named him one of their top 10 scientists of the year.
- In 2017, Time magazine included him on their list of the 100 most influential people. This shows how much his discovery impacted the world.
His achievements highlight the importance of looking for new planets. They inspire young people to explore careers in science and astronomy.
See also
In Spanish: Guillem Anglada-Escudé para niños
