09-01-2019, 06:56 PM
"Exoplanets Can’t Hide Their Secrets from Innovative New Instrument"
New technology and an old technique of observing stars, "speckle imaging", has enabled us to detect a Jupiter-like planet in a binary star system. Exoplanets orbiting binary star systems were thought rare years ago due to the instability caused by two stars in close orbit, but exoplanets have been observed in such systems. It's just very difficult to figure out which star they orbit.
This new technique, using the Gemini North telescope on MK has finally figured out that what was thought to be a low mass star or a brown dwarf was actually more like Jupiter because the planet's extended atmosphere attenuated blue light more than red light. Speckle imaging helped provide such high-resolution images to make this possible.
http://www.gemini.edu/node/21236
"“This dual win has elevated the importance of instruments like ‘Alopeke in exoplanet research,” said Chris Davis of the National Science Foundation, one of Gemini’s sponsoring agencies. “The exquisite seeing and telescope abilities of Gemini Observatory, as well as the innovative ‘Alopeke instrument made this discovery possible in merely four hours of observations.""
ETA: Incidentally, Chris Davis worked at UKIRT for many years.
New technology and an old technique of observing stars, "speckle imaging", has enabled us to detect a Jupiter-like planet in a binary star system. Exoplanets orbiting binary star systems were thought rare years ago due to the instability caused by two stars in close orbit, but exoplanets have been observed in such systems. It's just very difficult to figure out which star they orbit.
This new technique, using the Gemini North telescope on MK has finally figured out that what was thought to be a low mass star or a brown dwarf was actually more like Jupiter because the planet's extended atmosphere attenuated blue light more than red light. Speckle imaging helped provide such high-resolution images to make this possible.
http://www.gemini.edu/node/21236
"“This dual win has elevated the importance of instruments like ‘Alopeke in exoplanet research,” said Chris Davis of the National Science Foundation, one of Gemini’s sponsoring agencies. “The exquisite seeing and telescope abilities of Gemini Observatory, as well as the innovative ‘Alopeke instrument made this discovery possible in merely four hours of observations.""
ETA: Incidentally, Chris Davis worked at UKIRT for many years.