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The Gemini Planet Imager uses an advanced integral field spectrograph, enabling it to capture images across multiple wavelengths of infrared light simultaneously. Its primary mission is to discover young, self-luminous planets orbiting nearby stars. In the animation, GPI images of the star 51 Eridani are presented in increasing wavelength order from 1.5 to 1.8 microns on the left side. Processed to diminish light from 51 Eridani, the images unveil the exoplanet 51 Eridani b (marked), significantly fainter than its parent star. Bright areas flanking the masked star are artifacts from image processing, distinguishable from genuine astrophysical signals based on brightness and position in relation to wavelength.

On the animation's right side, the spectrum of 51 Eridani b illustrates how the planet's brightness varies with wavelength. In an entirely transmissive atmosphere, brightness would remain relatively constant across wavelengths. However, 51 Eridani b's atmosphere contains both water (H2O) and methane (CH4). Over the spectral range of the GPI dataset, water absorbs photons between 1.5 and 1.6 microns, and methane absorbs between 1.6 and 1.8 microns. This results in a pronounced brightness peak at 1.6 microns, where absorption by both water and methane is weakest.

Credit: Robert De Rosa (UC Berkeley), Christian Marois (NRC Herzberg, University of Victoria).

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