1. NEAR: First Results from the Search for Low-Mass Planets in α Cen
- Author
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Kasper, Markus, Arsenault, Robin, Käufl, Ulli, Jakob, Gerd, Leveratto, Serban, Zins, Gerard, Pantin, Eric, Duhoux, Philippe, Riquelme, Miguel, Kirchbauer, Jean-Paul, Kolb, Johann, Pathak, Prashant, Siebenmorgen, Ralf, Soenke, Christian, Fuenteseca, Eloy, Sterzik, Michael, Ageorges, Nancy, Gutruf, Sven, Kampf, Dirk, Reutlinger, Arnd, Absil, Olivier, Delacroix, Christian, Maire, Anne-Lise, Huby, Elsa, Guyon, Olivier, Klupar, Pete, Mawet, Dimitri, Ruane, Garreth, Karlsson, Mikael, Dohlen, Kjetil, Vigan, Arthur, N’Diaye, Mamadou, Quanz, Sascha, Carlotti, Alexis, Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (LAGRANGE), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, and COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
[PHYS]Physics [physics] ,0303 health sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,[SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics] ,0103 physical sciences ,Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics ,Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics ,Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics ,Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics ,01 natural sciences ,Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics ,030304 developmental biology - Abstract
ESO, in collaboration with the Breakthrough Initiatives, has modified the VLT mid-infrared imager VISIR to greatly enhance its ability as a planet finder. It has conducted a 100-hour observing campaign to search for low-mass planets around both components of the binary a Centauri, part of the closest stellar system to the Earth. Using adaptive optics and high-performance coronagraphy, the instrument reached unprecedented contrast and sensitivity allowing it to see Neptune-sized planets in the habitable zone, if present. The experiment allowed us to characterise the current limitations of the instrument. We conclude that the detection of rocky planets similar to Earth in the habitable zone of the a Centauri System is already possible with 8-metre-class telescopes in the thermal infrared., Published in The Messenger vol. 178, pp. 5-9, December 2019.
- Published
- 2019
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