Astrometry for Earth-sized Exoplanets and Dark Matter

A new proposal could supercharge NASA’s future Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) with an ultra-precise astrometer capable of detecting the tiny “wobbles” of nearby stars caused by Earth-sized exoplanets.This upgrade could greatly expand the hunt for habitable worlds and even help test theories about dark matter distribution in galaxies — all before the HWO’s expected launch in the 2040s.Thank you for listening to Bedtime Astronomy — your guide to the cosmos. New episodes on space exploration, NASA missions & the latest astronomy breakthroughs.