Other final projects
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.Proposal to NASA Part 2: Make Your Pitch
Investigate.
- Decide which exoplanet target you would ask NASA to observe next with JWST. Perhaps choose a planet for which you had more than one “Maybe” in your Comparative Exoplanetology chart.
- Optional: Select your planet below to go to an interactive NASA visualization of your planet and its star system. (Click Compare on the bottom right of the visualization to compare your planet to Earth or Jupiter).
If you like, take a screenshot of the visualization of your planet to paste into your Notebook.
WASP-17b
WASP-39b
WASP-121b
HD 209458 b
WASP-12b
HD 189733 b
HAT-P-12 b
K2-18 b
Spectrum Tool. Use the Spectrum Tool to make decisions for your proposal, and to capture screenshots to describe the spectrum features for which you hope to get better data.
- Select the spectrum for your target planet under Source 1.
- Under Source 2, investigate comparison spectra for Atoms and Molecules, Exoplanet Models, or objects in our Solar System.
- Identify 2 wavelength ranges in the exoplanet spectrum for which you would like higher resolution data from JWST, and answer Question 3 in your Notebook.
- For each wavelength range proposed, take a screenshot of the existing spectral data for your exoplanet target, compared with a particular atom or molecule, exoplanet model atmosphere, or Solar System object, to illustrate the information you presented in Question 3.
Spectrum Notebook. Answer these questions in your Notebook.
- Which exoplanet did you select?
- Optional: Paste a screenshot of the NASA visualization of your planet in your Notebook.
- In the table, identify 2 wavelength ranges in the exoplanet spectrum for which you would like higher resolution data from JWST, and explain what that data could help you discover or confirm about your planet.
- Paste two screenshots of the existing spectrum for your exoplanet target, compared with a particular atom or molecule, exoplanet model atmosphere, or Solar System object, to illustrate the information you’ve described in Question 3. Provide a caption for each screenshot.
Optional: Annotate the screenshots to point out relevant features and make your proposal even stronger.
- Put it all together. Write a paragraph that describes:
- The target planet you are proposing to observe,
- How JWST spectra will help you make discoveries about the exoplanet,
- Why this science research is important.
Brightness 