Comments on: Another Direct Image of an Exoplanet? http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/21/another-direct-image-of-an-exoplanet/ Space and astronomy news Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:17:24 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sly http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/21/another-direct-image-of-an-exoplanet/comment-page-1/#comment-42660 Sly Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:39:48 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21353#comment-42660 ...just a few (thousand or million) more steps to a more conventional visible light image! I realize that it's a long way off, but we're making progress... …just a few (thousand or million) more steps to a more conventional visible light image!

I realize that it's a long way off, but we're making progress…

]]> By: Richard Kirk http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/21/another-direct-image-of-an-exoplanet/comment-page-1/#comment-42302 Richard Kirk Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:48:27 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21353#comment-42302 Cautionary note for those of you who might not be used to looking at highly processed images: the circle you can see the planet sitting on is very likely an artifact. The plan of the planet's orbit is probably the same as the debris cloud, in which case we are seeing the orbit pretty near end-on, hence the large errors in the estimates of the radius. If it really is at Saturn's orbit, then we ought to see the thing move. I don't have any figures for the mass of Beta Pictoris, but Saturn takes 30 years to go around the sun, so expect more news in six months or so. Cautionary note for those of you who might not be used to looking at highly processed images: the circle you can see the planet sitting on is very likely an artifact. The plan of the planet's orbit is probably the same as the debris cloud, in which case we are seeing the orbit pretty near end-on, hence the large errors in the estimates of the radius.

If it really is at Saturn's orbit, then we ought to see the thing move. I don't have any figures for the mass of Beta Pictoris, but Saturn takes 30 years to go around the sun, so expect more news in six months or so.

]]> By: Jon Hanford http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/21/another-direct-image-of-an-exoplanet/comment-page-1/#comment-42191 Jon Hanford Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:57:10 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21353#comment-42191 @ Don Alexander, according to the ESO press release (http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2008/pr-42-08.html) the observations were made with the NACO AO camera on the 8.2m VLT Yepun (UT4) telescope at the VLT. The press release also links to a short, 5 page paper of the discovery(http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2008/betapic.pdf) submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics 11-21-08 with salient details of the discovery (and many fascinating pix) included. Indeed, a remarkable time to be witness to these first direct-imaging observations of extrasolar planets. @ Don Alexander, according to the ESO press release (http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2008/pr-42-08.html) the observations were made with the NACO AO camera on the 8.2m VLT Yepun (UT4) telescope at the VLT. The press release also links to a short, 5 page paper of the discovery(http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2008/betapic.pdf) submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics 11-21-08 with salient details of the discovery (and many fascinating pix) included. Indeed, a remarkable time to be witness to these first direct-imaging observations of extrasolar planets.

]]> By: Vino http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/21/another-direct-image-of-an-exoplanet/comment-page-1/#comment-42145 Vino Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:59:54 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21353#comment-42145 @ bse5150 In that chart only the first object 2M1207 has a mass which is less than 13 Jupiter mass, which is the brown dwarf - planet limit. All the others are above this limit and hence still a bit controversial... For more info plz refer www.exoplanet.eu @ bse5150
In that chart only the first object 2M1207 has a mass which is less than 13 Jupiter mass, which is the brown dwarf – planet limit. All the others are above this limit and hence still a bit controversial…
For more info plz refer http://www.exoplanet.eu

]]> By: bse5150 http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/21/another-direct-image-of-an-exoplanet/comment-page-1/#comment-42095 bse5150 Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:19:49 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21353#comment-42095 I'm assuming by the chart that we have accepted the images of the other planets (besides the four planets imaged last week) to be verified? I'm assuming by the chart that we have accepted the images of the other planets (besides the four planets imaged last week) to be verified?

]]> By: Mike Jackson http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/21/another-direct-image-of-an-exoplanet/comment-page-1/#comment-42086 Mike Jackson Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:40:57 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21353#comment-42086 Too cool. Now get the spectroscopy equipment tweeked up and detect some oxygen in the atmosphere. Too cool.

Now get the spectroscopy equipment tweeked up and detect some oxygen in the atmosphere.

]]> By: Don Alexander http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/21/another-direct-image-of-an-exoplanet/comment-page-1/#comment-42076 Don Alexander Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:21:00 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21353#comment-42076 Wow, this is awesome. When it rains, it pours. Could the exact instrument be named? Was it NACO or SINFONI?? Wow, this is awesome. When it rains, it pours.

Could the exact instrument be named? Was it NACO or SINFONI??

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