Sejong University professor explores conditions for scientific development on exoplanets
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Zee Woong-bae, a professor at Sejong University’s School of Liberal Studies / Courtesy of Sejong University
A Sejong University professor has published a study in an international astronomy journal exploring how the astronomical environments of exoplanets could influence the scientific development of potential intelligent life.
The study by Zee Woong-bae, a professor at the university’s School of Liberal Studies, was published last month in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society under the title “Alien Skies: Visibility of Planetary Retrograde Motion from Rocky Habitable-Zone Worlds.”
The university said the study goes beyond existing research into conditions that could support extraterrestrial life, focusing instead on astronomical environments that could enable intelligent life on exoplanets to develop science and technology.
Until now, the search for extraterrestrial life has concentrated on environmental conditions that could support life, such as planetary temperatures and the possibility of liquid water. In astronomy, this concept is known as “habitability.”
Zee proposed a new concept called “developmentability,” expanding on the established concept of habitability.
The idea is to examine how the astronomical environments of exoplanets could shape the worldview of potential intelligent life there and influence its scientific development.
The astronomical phenomenon at the center of the study is “apparent retrograde motion.” This occurs when a planet appears to move temporarily in the opposite direction from its usual motion across the sky, as seen from Earth. Mars and Jupiter are among the planets that exhibit this phenomenon.
Retrograde motion served as an important observational clue in the development of humanity’s understanding of the universe.
Zee analyzed whether such retrograde motion could also be observed from other exoplanets. Assuming hypothetical observers were present on these planets, he calculated how neighboring planets would appear to move across their skies.
The analysis identified two potentially habitable rocky planets from which observers could clearly see neighboring planets undergoing retrograde motion with the naked eye.
The first case involves the GJ 1002 planetary system, located about 16 light-years from Earth. The analysis found that an observer on GJ 1002 b could see its neighboring planet, GJ 1002 c, moving in retrograde motion across the night sky.
The second case is the Teegarden’s Star planetary system, located about 12.5 light-years from Earth. The study predicted that an observer on planet c in this system could also see neighboring planet d undergoing retrograde motion with the naked eye.
Both planetary systems are relatively close to Earth, and GJ 1002 b and Teegarden’s Star c, the planets used as hypothetical observation points in the study, have attracted attention as potentially habitable exoplanets.
However, the study does not confirm the actual existence of extraterrestrial life or intelligent civilizations on either planet. Nor does the ability to observe retrograde motion alone guarantee the development of a scientific civilization.
The university said the study is significant in that it offers a new perspective linking the astronomical environments of exoplanets to the potential scientific advancement of intelligent life.
