Measuring Infrared Brightness

Spitzer_ssc2012-07d_1024

spitzer_ssc2012-07d May 8th, 2012

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC)

This graphic illuminates the process by which astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have for the first time detected the light from a super Earth planet.

The planet 55 Cancri e orbits very closely to its star, and no current telescope can make an image of it separate from its star. Instead astronomers watch the combined light of the system over time, looking for slight drops in the total light that hint at the existence of planets.

Planets like 55 Cancri e are first identified when they "transit," or pass in front of, their star. This blocks a portion of the star's light that is proportional to the size of the planet.

Detecting the light from the planet is much harder. When the planet passes behind its star (an "occultation"), there is a slight dip in the total light that corresponds to the light from the planet itself. In visible light this dip is expected to be tiny, only a few parts per million. In infrared light the thermal glow of the planet is much brighter, making the occultation easier to detect.

This infrared occultation has been detected by Spitzer, giving astronomers the first-ever measurement of the light from such a small planet (about twice the size of the Earth). Such measurements help astronomers determine conditions on the planet itself.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: https://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/image/ssc2012-07d-measuring-infrared-brightness

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

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Image Details

Image Type
Artwork
Object Name
55 Cancri e 55 Cnc e
Subject - Milky Way
Planet > Special Cases > Transiting

Distance

Universescale1
41 light years
Spitzer_ssc2012-07d_1280
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ID
ssc2012-07d
Subject Category
B.1.3.1.  
Subject Name
55 Cancri e, 55 Cnc e
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC)
Release Date
2012-05-08
Lightyears
41
Redshift
41
Reference Url
https://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/image/ssc2012-07d-measuring-infrared-brightness
Type
Artwork
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Instrument
Color Assignment
Band
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
Reference Value
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2012-07d.tif
Metadata Date
2023-03-04T00:59:35Z
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
41 light years

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