Astronomers capture first direct spectrum of an exoplanet
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 - 11:35
in Astronomy & Space
By studying a triple planetary system that resembles a scaled-up version of our own Sun's family of planets, astronomers have been able to obtain the first direct spectrum -- the "chemical fingerprint" -- of a planet orbiting a distant star, thus bringing new insights into the planet's formation and composition. The result represents a milestone in the search for life elsewhere in the Universe.