Science / Space
New method sharpens Webb telescope images of exoplanets
The technique improved sensitivity two to 15 times over standard methods.
Status: source-checked.
PASADENA, Calif. — Researchers built a digital model of the James Webb Space Telescope’s near-infrared camera to subtract starlight and reveal exoplanets, Caltech said Nov. 4.
The method improved sensitivity two to 15 times compared with standard techniques, according to the paper published in Nature.
“Even the tiniest imperfections in a telescope can make it difficult to separate the faint light of a planet from the overwhelming glare of its star,” said co-author Katie Bouman.
What we know / what we don't
What we know
- The paper appeared in Nature on Nov. 4.
What we don't know
- Performance on other telescopes is not yet demonstrated.
The source record