New Tools to Study
Extrasolar Planets - NASA Astrobiology Institute, March 23, 2005
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NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) scientists led one of two teams
that have announced the first measurements of light from planets
around other stars. The Spitzer Space Telescope detected infrared
emissions from these two planets, both of which are "hot Jupiters'
-- giant planets orbiting very close to their parent star. This
brings a third technique to the study of these planets, which had
previously been detected by their gravitational pull on the star and
by the dimming of the star as the planet crosses in front of it. As
noted by Drake Demming of the Goddard NAI Team, "Spitzer has
provided us with a powerful new tool for learning about the
temperatures, atmospheres, and orbits of planets hundreds of
light-years from Earth." Alan Boss of the NAI Caregie team called
this "a major milestone along the way to the ultimate goal of
finding Earth-like planets and examining their atmospheres for signs
of life."
