Astronomers hope to find ALIENS on planet orbiting our nearest star
Stargazers train massive super-telescope on Proxima b, a world which could be suitable for life
A GIANT telescope has been pointed at the Sun's neighbour in the hunt for intelligent alien lifeforms.
The famous Parkes radio disc in New South Wales, Australia, was aimed towards Proxima Centauri, a red dwarf star 4.2 light years away.
Scientists will use the 210ft (64m) telescope to scan a host of radio frequencies on the off chance of picking up signals from an extraterrestrial civilisation.
The sun's galactic neighbour has an Earth-sized planet called Proxima b in an orbit suitable for life.
This project is part of an £80.6 million Breakthrough Listen initiative to scale up the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (Seti).
This was launched last year by Russian internet entrepreneur Yuri Milner and leading UK cosmologist Professor Stephen Hawking.
Breakthrough Listen scientist Dr Andrew Siemion, director of the University of California Seti Research Centre, said: "The chances of any particular planet hosting intelligent life-forms are probably minuscule.
"But once we knew there was a planet right next door, we had to ask the question, and it was a fitting first observation for Parkes.
"To find a civilisation just 4.2 light years away would change everything."
The Parkes radio telescope picked up the first transmissions from Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin when they set foot on the moon on July 20 1969.
It is one of three telescopes taking part in Breakthrough Listen over the next 10 years.
The others are the Green Bank radio telescope in West Virginia, US, and the robotic Automated Planet Finder (APF) at the Lick Observatory, California.
The APF is an optical telescope which will search for laser signals rather than radio transmissions.
After 14 days of tests, scientists achieved an initial observation of Proxima Centauri on Monday.
Why are ET hunters getting excited about the planet Proxima b?
Scientists announced the discovery of Proxima b, the closest exoplanet to Proxima Centauri, in August this year.
The planet is thought to be roughly 1.3 times the size of Earth, rocky, and orbiting the right distance from its star to permit liquid water on its surface.
This means it occupies the so-called "habitable zone" where life may have evolved.
The Proxima Centauri shines dimly because its habitable zone is 25 times closer in than the sun's.
Orbiting such a short distance away, Proxima b could be blasted by harmful radiation from powerful flares on the star.
Founder Mr Milner said: "The addition of Parkes is an important milestone.
"These major instruments are the ears of planet Earth, and now they are listening for signs of other civilisations."
Incredible plans also include sending a swarm of tiny camera-carrying probes to Proxima Centauri.
The aim is to shine laser beams on to thin sails to propel thousands of chip-sized craft to 20% of the speed of light, completing the journey within 30 years.
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