PIA15624: Measuring Brightness of Super Earth 55 Cancri e


Measuring Brightness of Super Earth 55 Cancri e

Caption:

This graphic illuminates the process by which astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have, for the first time, detected the light from a super Earth planet.

The brightness of the planet was measured as the star passed behind its star (an "occultation"), causing a slight dip in the total light of the system. The occultation is much easier to detect in infrared light since the planet glows brightly due to its high temperature. Such measurements help astronomers determine conditions on the planet itself.

Background Info:

JPL manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena. Data are archived at the Infrared Science Archive housed at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

For more information about Spitzer, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/spitzer and http://spitzer.caltech.edu .

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target 55 Cancri
System 55 Cancri
Target Type Exoplanet
Mission Spitzer Space Telescope
Instrument Host Spitzer Space Telescope
Host Type Space Telescope
Instrument
Detector
Extra Keywords Color, Infrared, Occultation
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2012-05-08
Date in Caption
Image Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA15624
Identifier PIA15624