Exploring 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.

Comparative Exoplanetology Part 2:
How do atmospheric conditions vary among exoplanets?

Spectrum Tool. Choose a second transmission spectrum of any of the other Exoplanet targets.

Spectrum Notebook. Go to Hot, Hazy, Humid, Salty! - Exoplanet Atmospheric Spectra Features Chart in your notebook.

  1. Choose one exoplanet transmission spectrum from the list in the Spectrum 1 dropdown menu, different from the one you chose in Challenge 2, and use the Spectrum 2 dropdown menu to fill in the chart in your Notebook for that planet.

Spectrum Notebook. Go to the Challenge 3. Comparative Exoplanetology! section. Then, answer the following questions:

  1. What target did you choose?
  2. How did your two exoplanet spectra compare? Describe which target had better resolution or data quality, which was easier to interpret, and why.
Source 1:
 
Brightness
Full-intensity spectrum backgroundTransparency increases or decreases based on chart intensity, hiding or revealing the background
Left axis ticks
Spectrum intensity vs wavelength chart
Bottom axis ticks
Wavelength (Microns)
Source 2:
 
Brightness
Full-intensity spectrum backgroundTransparency increases or decreases based on chart intensity, hiding or revealing the background
Left axis ticks
Spectrum intensity vs wavelength chart
Bottom axis ticks
Wavelength (Microns)
part 1
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