Explore Exoplanet Atmospheres
Investigate the atmospheres of planets outside our solar system, then make a pitch for what exoplanet spectra you’d like to capture with the James Webb Space Telescope.Capturing Spectra Part 2: Telescope Point of View
Investigate.
Consider this schematic of two transiting exoplanets at 2 positions in their orbit:
A) a “Hot Jupiter” that orbits so close to its star it goes around once every few days; and
B) an Earth-sized planet that is much farther from the star, and so only transits once a year or so.
In positions A and B, the telescope is able to detect a transmission spectrum of starlight passing through the planet’s atmosphere.
In positions A-1 and B-1, the telescope detects both thermal emission and reflected starlight from the planets—PLUS the light of the star. When the planets go behind the star, astronomers can capture ONLY the light of the star, which they can subtract to get just the light of the planets.
Spectrum Notebook. Answer this question in your Notebook.
- Explain why you think most exoplanet spectra captured to date are from Hot Jupiters rather than from Earth-like planets.
