![Overview of the optical design of the testbed, which features an AO module, a coronagraph module, and ample space for science cameras and visitor experiments. Abbreviations: CDM: Coronagraphic DM, DM: Deformable Mirror, FM: Fold Mirror, (F/L)LOWFS: focal-plane/Lyot-stop low-order wavefront sensor, OAP: Off-Axis Parabola, PSM: PupilSteering Mirror, TS: Turbulence Simulator -[astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/NEXT.png?resize=1200%2C714&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.IM] We report on the goals, design, and ongoing development of the Netherlands EXoplanet Testbed (NEXT), a high-contrast imaging testbed under construction in Leiden.
Extremely Large Telescopes
![Cumulative oxygen loss for planets at the habitable zone of each sample star over 1 Gyr, assuming constant stellar XUV flux at the HZ and no replenishment of oxygen. The curves are calculated using the energy-limited O2 loss prescription from V. S. Airapetian et al. 2017. Colored lines show individual stars, with solid segments representing the earliest ages (for stars with age ranges) and dashed segments extending beyond the minimum age. The black solid line shows the solar reference. Horizontal lines indicate the present-day Earth atmospheric O2 content (∼0.2 bars; dotted) and the total mass of Earth’s oceans (∼240 bars; dashed), providing reference levels for planetary habitability. -- [astro-ph.SR]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Panchromatic.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inHabitable Zones
Panchromatic Spectra of Nearby Low-mass and Sun-like Stars with Directly Imageable Habitable Zones
[astro-ph.SR] Characterizing the high-energy radiation environments of stars plays a critical role in determining which systems’ planets are capable of retaining atmospheres and sustaining habitable conditions.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Stellar Cartography
X-ray Emission of Nearby Low-mass and Sun-like Stars with Directly Imageable Habitable Zones
Stellar X-ray and UV radiation can significantly affect the survival, composition, and long-term evolution of the atmospheres of planets in or near their host star’s habitable zone (HZ).
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Proxima Centauri, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1
Detecting Biosignatures in Nearby Rocky Exoplanets using High-Contrast Imaging and Medium-Resolution Spectroscopy with Extremely Large Telescope
In the upcoming decades, one of the primary objectives in exoplanet science is to search for habitable planets and signs of extraterrestrial life in the universe.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
The Direct Mid-Infrared Detectability of Habitable-zone Exoplanets Around Nearby Stars
Giant planets within the habitable zones of the closest several stars can currently be imaged with ground-based telescopes.