A LIVE display developed by scientists from St Andrews University will allow visitors to monitor the search for planets.

Now the question of whether there is anybody out there is being addressed at a public event.

The feature at the Royal Society summer science exhibition, Is There Anybody Out There? Looking For New Worlds—which is running in London—comes at a time when the number of known planets outside the solar system has risen to more than 300.

The St Andrews team employs a technique called gravitational micro-lensing in its hunt for planets orbiting stars other than the sun.

Dr Martin Dominik, of the university’s school of physics and astronomy, explained that the detection of planets by gravitational micro-lensing means the team waits for a short “blip” in the light of an observed star.

This “blip” results from gravitational bending by the planet and its host star, which interrupts the line of sight.

He said, “Gravitational micro-lensing is a promising approach towards the first detection of an Earth-mass planet, which could happen at any time now.

“In fact, micro-lensing is the only technique that can currently detect planets substantially below the mass of Earth.”

Using this technique, the St Andrews scientists made a vital contribution to the detection of OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, which at the time of its discovery was the most Earth-like extra-solar planet known, providing the first hint that such planets may be commonplace.

Within minutes of the observations being completed, the respective data is modelled and visualised, providing information to the public and scientists simultaneously.

Moreover, any potential planetary signal is able to be readily identified in order to ensure that all planets are properly identified or dismissed.

Professor Keith Horne, who pioneered the use of robotic-telescope networks for micro-lensing planet searches, said that, with powerful software being put in place, scientists are ready to move forward with a next generation of micro-lensing planet searches.

He added that human judgement will be incapable of keeping up with the acquired volume of data.

For those who will be unable to visit the exhibition in London, live planet hunting and further information is available at www.artemis-uk.org/ targetview.html.