Looking for our cosmic neighbours
Subject:
Astronomer Franck Drake described the possibility of making contact with an extraterrestrial civilisation in terms of physical parameters. The aim of this activity is to understand these parameters, to estimate those that are accessible to observation and those that are unknown.
Level: Secondary school and Hight school
Time: approximately 1 hour
Prerequisites:
Objectives:
- Estimate how many communicating civilisations there may be in the Galaxy ? using Drake’s equation.
- Understand the parameters of this equation.
- Find the value of these parameters and the uncertainty surrounding these values, and calculate the result using a spreadsheet.
Equipment required:
For each student:
- 1 computer with spreadsheet software (Excel, Open Office Calc, etc.)
Subject, Appendices and correction:
Author : Alain Doressoundiram, LIRA/UFE, Observatoire de Paris