February 28, 2009

New Technique Allows Astronomers to Discover Exoplanets in Old Hubble Images

Written by Ian O'Neill

Using a new imaging technique on an 11 year old Hubble observation, an exoplanet has been discovered orbiting the young star HR 8799 (NASA/HST)

The Hubble Space Telescope has recently provided us with some astonishing images of exoplanets orbiting distant stars. This is a departure from the indirect detection of exoplanets by measuring the "wobble" of stars (revealing the gravitational presence of a massive planetary body) or the transit of exoplanets through the line of sight of the parent star (causing its brightness to dim).

Scientists have refined Hubble's exoplanet hunting abilities to directly image these alien worlds in visible light. However, astronomers now have another trick to find these mysterious worlds. A new imaging technique is allowing us to see exoplanets already hiding in archival Hubble data…

It has been estimated that another 100 previously unknown exoplanets could be discovered in old Hubble data. The technique being tested by astronomers at the University of Toronto could be a very powerful new way to reveal the existence of a huge number of buried jewels buried by the glare of star light.

Full article here:

http://www.universetoday.com/2009/02/28/new-technique-allows-astronomers-to-discover-exoplanets-in-old-hubble-images/