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Spitzer Telescope Discovers Planets Via Infrared

Posted by Zonk on from the earth-like-planet-in-my-sites dept.

DirtyJ writes "Astronomers using the Spitzer Space Telescope have for the first time discovered two extrasoloar planets by directly detecting light from the planets themselves. Usually planets are discovered by indirectly inferring their presence from the wobble of star they orbit, but Spitzer has been able to directly detect these objects at Infrared wavelengths. Nifty conceptual images and videos are available."

2 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. Ob-Infrared-Ditty by Otto · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now the world has gone to bed,
    Darkness won't engulf my head,
    I can see by infrared,
    How I hate the night.

    --
    - Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
  2. And they call this science? by Mindwarp · · Score: 4, Funny

    If I were providing the conceptual images I would DEFINITELY have included more orbiting alien Death-Stars. Honestly, these conceptual artists have no imaginations!

    --
    The gift of death metal does not smile on the good looking.