Time lapse de exoplaneta
O Very Large Telescope do ESO (VLT) capturou uma série de imagens sem precedentes que mostram o exoplaneta Beta Pictoris b a passar em torno da sua estrela progenitora. Este jovem exoplaneta massivo foi descoberto em 2008 com o auxílio do instrumento NACO montado no VLT. A mesma equipa científica observou e seguiu este exoplaneta desde o final de 2014 ao final de 2016, com o instrumento SPHERE (Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch), também montado no VLT.
Beta Pictoris b passou tão perto do halo da estrela que nenhum instrumento conseguiu separar os dois objetos. Quase dois anos mais tarde, depois de parecer coalescer na imagem da estrela, Beta Pictoris b saiu do halo estelar. Este reaparecimento foi outra vez capturado pelo SPHERE. A série completa de imagens, com o intenso brilho da estrela Beta Pictoris bloqueado, foi compilada para criar um time lapse excepcional da órbita de período longo de Beta Pictoris b.
O SPHERE observou Beta Pictoris b de forma direta — e não inferindo a sua existência. A maioria dos exoplanetas têm sido descobertos por métodos indiretos — observando como é que afectam a posição ou brilho de uma estrela. O SPHERE do ESO especializa-se num método chamado imagem direta, ou seja procura exoplanetas através de fotografias diretas. Este processo bastante desafiante dá-nos imagens muito claras de mundos distantes tais como Beta Pictoris b, situado a 63 anos-luz de distância da Terra.
Beta Pictoris b orbita a sua estrela a uma distância semelhante à distância entre o Sol e Saturno, ou seja, a aproximadamente 1,3 mil milhões de km, o que significa que se trata do exoplaneta que está a orbitar mais próximo da sua estrela e que se conseguiu observar de forma direta. A superfície deste jovem planeta ainda está quente, apresentando uma temperatura de cerca de 1500 ºC, e a luz que emite permitiu ao SPHERE descobri-lo e traçar a sua órbita, vendo-o emergir da sua passagem pela frente da estrela progenitora. Apesar destas imagens nos sugerirem que o planeta transita a estrela, bloqueando um pouco da luz estelar, Beta Pictoris b não está de facto a transitar. Estas imagens são um feito extraordinário, anunciando uma nova era numa das mais excitantes áreas da astronomia — descobrir e caracterizar exoplanetas.
ESO/Lagrange/SPHERE consortium.
Sobre a imagem
Id: | potw1846a |
Língua: | pt |
Tipo: | Montagem |
Data de divulgação: | 12 de Novembro de 2018 às 06:00 |
Tamanho: | 2628 x 1950 px |
Sobre o objeto
Nome: | Beta Pictoris b |
Tipo: | Milky Way : Star : Circumstellar Material : Planetary System |
Distância: | 65 anos-luz |
Formatos de imagens
Papéis de parede
Cores e filtros
Banda | Comprimento de onda | Telescópio |
---|---|---|
Infravermelho K | 2.11 μm | Very Large Telescope SPHERE |
Infravermelho H | 1.593 μm | Very Large Telescope SPHERE |
Infravermelho K | 2.251 μm | Very Large Telescope SPHERE |
Infravermelho H | 1.667 μm | Very Large Telescope SPHERE |
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