Technical facts about this news release: About the Object Object Name: HD 189733, HD189733b Object Description: Planet transiting a bright, nearby K0 star Position (J2000): R.A. 20h 00m 43s.72 Dec. +22° 42' 38".6 Constellation: Vulpecula Distance: Roughly 60 light-years (19 parsecs) About the Data Data Description: This image was created from HST data from proposal 10869: A. Lecavelier des Etangs, A. Vidal-Madjar, F. Bouchy , J.-M. Desert, D. Ehrenreich, R. Ferlet, G. Hebrard, and G. Tinetti (CNRS, Paris Institute of Astrophysics), G. Ballester (University of Arizona), and F. Pont and S. Udry (Geneva University Observatory, Switzerland). The science team comprises F. Pont (Geneva University Observatory, Switzerland) , H. Knutson (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), R. Gilliland (STScI), C. Moutou (Astrophysics Laboratory of Marseille, France), and D. Charbonneau (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics). Instrument: ACS/SBC Exposure Date(s): June, 2007 Exposure Time: 9.5 hours Filters/Gratings: 110/115 (UV) About the Release Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and F. Pont (Geneva University Observatory, Switzerland) Release Date: December 11, 2007
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*Image Type:*: Artwork
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*Release Date*:December 11, 2007 10:00 AM (EST)
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*News Release Number:*: STScI-2007-44a
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*Title*:Hubble Finds that Extrasolar Planet Has a Hazy Sunset
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*Description*: A team of astronomers, led by Frederic Pont from the Geneva University Observatory in Switzerland, has detected for the first time strong evidence of hazes in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting a distant star. The new Hubble Space Telescope observations were made as the extrasolar planet, dubbed HD 189733b, passed in front of its parent star in an eclipse. As the light from the star briefly passes through the exoplanet's atmosphere, the gases in the atmosphere stamp their unique spectral fingerprints on the starlight. Where the scientists had expected to see the fingerprints of sodium and potassium, there were none; implying that high-level hazes (with an altitude of nearly 2,000 miles) are responsible for blocking the light from these elements. This is an artist's concept of HD 189733b and its parent star. For more images and information, visit: http://www.spacetel…[ http://www.spacetel…] For additional information, contact: Frederic Pont Geneva University Observatory, Switzerland frederic.pont@obs.un ige.ch Lars Lindberg Christensen Hubble/ESA, Garching, Germany 011-49-89-3200-6306 lars@eso.org Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. 410-338-4514 villard@stsci.edu
