GRAVITY instrument breaks new ground in exoplanet imaging
The GRAVITY instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) has made the first direct observation of an exoplanet using optical interferometry. This method revealed a complex exoplanetary atmosphere with clouds of iron and silicates swirling in a planet-wide storm. The technique presents unique possibilities for characterising many of the exoplanets known today.
This artist’s impression shows the observed exoplanet, which goes by the name HR8799e.
Credit:ESO/L. Calçada
About the Image
Id: | eso1905a |
Type: | Artwork |
Release date: | 27 March 2019, 12:00 |
Related releases: | eso1905 |
Size: | 5000 x 3125 px |
About the Object
Name: | HR 8799e |
Type: | Milky Way : Planet |
Distance: | 130 light years |
Category: | Exoplanets |
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