- #1
- 4,789
- 3,852
By the GRAVITY team -
Wow. Great picture of exoplanet HR8799e - 129Ly distant
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the recent direct observation of the exoplanet HR8799e using the GRAVITY instrument on the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. Participants explore the nature of the image presented, questioning its authenticity and the methods used to obtain it, while also discussing the implications of the findings related to the planet's atmosphere and illumination.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Technical explanation
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express skepticism about the authenticity of the image, suggesting it may be an artist's conception rather than a direct photograph.
- Others clarify that the image is a computer-processed representation derived from spectral data rather than a traditional photograph.
- One participant notes that the observations suggest the planet is a ball of gas illuminated from the interior, contrasting with the external illumination depicted in the artist's rendition.
- Another participant emphasizes that while the researchers disentangled the light from the star to analyze the planet's atmosphere, this does not equate to having a conventional image of the planet.
- There is a discussion about the nature of the light emitted from HR8799e, with references to its inhospitable conditions and the potential for both internal and reprocessed external light contributing to its illumination.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants do not reach a consensus on whether the image represents a true photograph of the exoplanet or an artistic impression. Multiple competing views regarding the interpretation of the image and the nature of the observations remain present.
Contextual Notes
Participants highlight the complexity of interpreting the image, noting that it is based on a combination of gravitic and spectral data rather than a straightforward visible light photograph. There are also discussions about the implications of the planet's temperature and atmospheric composition, which remain unresolved.
By the GRAVITY team -
- #2
russ_watters
Mentor
- 23,825
- 11,264
If that photo is real, it's dozens of orders of magnitude [guess] higher resolution than anything I've ever seen before. We sure they didn't accidentally post an artist's conception? I've seen that before...
[edit: ehhhh, might only be 5 or 6 orders of magnitude. It's about a million and a half times further away than Jupiter and that looks like a Hubble photo of Jupiter. ]
[edit: ehhhh, might only be 5 or 6 orders of magnitude. It's about a million and a half times further away than Jupiter and that looks like a Hubble photo of Jupiter. ]
Last edited:
- #3
- 4,789
- 3,852
You may be correct. I do not know. Original paper:
https://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1905/eso1905a.pdf
Plus, if it were "real", it would be a computer processed image, not a real photo.
https://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1905/eso1905a.pdf
Plus, if it were "real", it would be a computer processed image, not a real photo.
- #4
jbriggs444
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
- 13,426
- 8,094
From the article:
"Our observations suggest a ball of gas illuminated from the interior"
The artist's rendition clearly shows illumination from the exterior.
"Our observations suggest a ball of gas illuminated from the interior"
The artist's rendition clearly shows illumination from the exterior.
- #5
DrClaude
Mentor
- 8,477
- 5,695
This is definitely not a picture of the planet.
The researchers were able to disentangle the light form the star for that of the planet, allowing to analyse spectrally the light and find the composition of the atmosphere. This is quite an achievement, but we're still far from having a picture of the planet in the common sense of the term.
The researchers were able to disentangle the light form the star for that of the planet, allowing to analyse spectrally the light and find the composition of the atmosphere. This is quite an achievement, but we're still far from having a picture of the planet in the common sense of the term.
- #6
DrClaude
Mentor
- 8,477
- 5,695
Like all contemporary photography?jim mcnamara said:
- #7
Klystron
Gold Member
- 1,250
- 1,950
After skimming the paper, the image is not a visible light photograph but an amalgam of gravitic and various spectra-graphic data values. Perhaps the term 'computer aided art' applies. The paper claims at least some of the infrared data is measured directly from the exoplanets. All the planetary data has been corrected for 'washout' from the primary.jim mcnamara said:
- #8
russ_watters
Mentor
- 23,825
- 11,264
Here's an actual photo of Antares from that telescope:
- #9
ChinoSupay
- 12
- 6
This is not a photo, is just an artistic impression
- #10
- 4,789
- 3,852
Excellent - I stand corrected.
- #11
Ken G
Gold Member
- 4,949
- 573
Also, the article said "The exoplanet is thoroughly inhospitable—leftover energy from its formation and a powerful greenhouse effect heat HR8799e to a hostile temperature of roughly 1000 °C. " So that suggests a combination of internal and reprocessed external light, either of which they could have meant by "internal illumination", but it would be spread more or less equally over the whole face of the planet. If that's even an artistic impression for this planet, it's a very poor impression. At 1000 Celsius, there would be plenty of optical emission that is not reflected light.
Similar threads
High School
Most detailed picture of Antares
- · Replies 8 ·
- · Replies 2 ·
- · Replies 1 ·
- · Replies 8 ·
High School
Thirty Meter Telescope can resume construction
- · Replies 2 ·
- · Replies 0 ·
- · Replies 5 ·
- · Replies 1 ·
Graduate
9 Billion-Year-Old Galaxy Discovered
- · Replies 4 ·
- · Replies 15 ·