December 08, 2010
Signature of a Carbon-Rich Planet
This plot of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope indicates the presence of molecules in the planet WASP-12b -- a super-hot gas giant that orbits tightly around its star.
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December 08, 2010
Hot, Carbon-Rich Planet
This artist's concept shows the searing-hot gas planet WASP-12b (orange orb) and its star.
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October 19, 2010
Planetary Hot Spot Not Under the Glare of Star
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has found that the hottest part of a distant planet, named upsilon Andromedae b, is not under the glare of its host star as might be expected.
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October 19, 2010
How to Find a Planetary Hot Spot
This graph of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows how astronomers located a hot spot on a distant gas planet named upsilon Andromedae b -- and learned that it was in the wrong place.
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April 21, 2010
Exotic Exoplanet
An unusual, methane-free world is partially eclipsed by its star in this artist's concept.
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April 21, 2010
How to Measure Exoplanet Light
These plots from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope show light from a distant planet, GJ 436b, and its star, as measured at six different infrared wavelengths.
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October 20, 2009
Exotic Atmospheres
The basic chemistry for life has been detected in a second hot gas planet, HD 209458b, depicted in this artist's concept.
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January 28, 2009
Severe Exoplanetary Storm
These computer-generated images chart the development of severe weather patterns on the highly eccentric exoplanet HD 80606b during the days after its closest approach to its parent star.
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January 28, 2009
Exoplanet HD 80606b Infrared Light Curve
This figure charts 30 hours of observations taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of a strongly irradiated exoplanet (an planet orbiting a star beyond our own). It shows the very rapid heating the planet experienced as it swung through its closest approach to the star.
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November 07, 2007
Water, water everywhere - on an extrasolar planet
An artist’s impression of a transiting exoplanet, named 'HD 189733b' - the first exoplanet found to have water vapor in its atmosphere.
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July 11, 2007
Steaming Hot Planet
Scientists have reported the first conclusive discovery of water vapor in the atmosphere of an exoplanet, or a planet beyond our Solar System.
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July 11, 2007
Exoplanet Forecast: Hot and Wet
This plot of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope tells astronomers that a toasty gas exoplanet, or a planet beyond our solar system, contains water vapor.
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July 11, 2007
Exoplanet Forecast: Hot and Wet
This plot of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope tells astronomers that a toasty gas exoplanet, or a planet beyond our solar system, contains water vapor.
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July 11, 2007
Steaming Hot Planet
Scientists have reported the first conclusive discovery of water vapor in the atmosphere of an exoplanet, or a planet beyond our Solar System.
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May 09, 2007
Blacker than Black
This artist's concept illustrates the hottest planet yet observed in the Universe. The scorching ball of gas, a "hot Jupiter" called HD 149026b, is about 3 times hotter than the surface of Venus.
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May 09, 2007
First Map of an Exoplanet Atmosphere
This map, the first-ever of the surface of an exoplanet, shows temperature variations across the cloudy tops of a gas giant called HD 189733b.
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May 09, 2007
Blacker than Black
This artist's concept illustrates the hottest planet yet observed in the Universe. The scorching ball of gas, a "hot Jupiter" called HD 149026b, is about 3 times hotter than the surface of Venus.
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February 21, 2007
Cracking the Code of Faraway Worlds: An Exoplanet Atmosphere
This infrared data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope tells astronomers that a distant gas planet, a so-called "hot Jupiter" called HD 189733b, might be smothered with high clouds. It is one of the first spectra of an alien world.
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February 21, 2007
Cracking the Code of Faraway Worlds: an Exoplanet Atmosphere
This infrared data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope tells astronomers that a distant gas planet, a so-called "hot Jupiter" called HD 209458b, might be smothered with high clouds. It is one of the first spectra of an alien world.
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February 21, 2007
Cracking the Code of Faraway Worlds: an Exoplanet Atmosphere
This infrared data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope called a spectrum tells astronomers that a distant gas planet, a so-called "hot Jupiter" called HD 209458b, might be smothered with high clouds. It is one of the first spectra of an alien world.
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February 21, 2007
Isolating a Planet's Spectrum
This diagram illustrates how astronomers can capture the elusive spectra of hot-Jupiter planets by comparing observations including light from both the star and planet to those containing just the star.
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January 09, 2007
Forecasting Weather on Distant Worlds
An artist's concept shows a gas-giant planet orbiting very close to its parent star, creating searingly hot conditions on the planet's surface.
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October 12, 2006
Exotic World Blisters Under the Sun
This artist's concept shows a Jupiter-like planet, called Upsilon Andromedae b, soaking up the scorching rays of its nearby star. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope determined that this planet is two-faced, with one side perpetually in the cold dark, and the other forever blistering under the heat of its star.
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October 12, 2006
The Light and Dark Sides of a Distant Planet
The top graph consists of infrared data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. It tells astronomers that a distant planet, called Upsilon Andromedae b, always has a giant hot spot on the side that faces the star, while the other side is cold and dark. The artist's concepts above the graph illustrate how the planet might look throughout its orbit if viewed up close with infrared eyes.
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March 22, 2005
Blinded by the Light
This artist's concept shows what a fiery hot star and its close-knit planetary companion might look close up if viewed in visible (left) and infrared light.
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Images by type
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Artwork
Artists' renderings of science concepts.
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Observation
Images of observation data captured by telescopes.
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Maps, Spectra and Graphs
Data charts, spectra, graphs, and planetary maps.
Images by subject
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Rocky Planets
Small exoplanets that may have rocky surfaces, like Earth.
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Gas Giants
Exoplanets 2.5 times the size of Earth and larger.
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Hot Jupiters
Massive worlds too close to their stars for comfort.
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Protoplanetary Disks
Areas where young planets are being formed.