Theres a new planet hunter in town, and its got its sights set on close-by Earth-sized planets in the stellar area.
Called the Keck Planet Finder, or KPF for short, the new instrument at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii accomplished very first light on November 9 by taking a light spectrum of the world Jupiter. Of course, KPF is designed to discover worlds in other solar systems, so the information from Jupiter was just a primary step– a test run of the instruments capabilities. KPF is simply starting.
First light spectrum of the world Jupiter taken with the Keck Planet Finder on November 9, 2022. Credit: Guðmundur Stefánsson and the KPF group.
KPF discovers worlds using the radial velocity technique, which means it observes the wobble of a star as it is pulled gravitationally by any planets that may be orbiting it. This approach is specifically beneficial for determining a worlds mass with accuracy: the larger the mass, the bigger the wobble. Other planet-finding missions, like the Kepler Space Telescope, observe planets using the transit technique. They watch the light from a star grow dimmer as a planet passes in front of it. The transit technique provides accurate info about a planets size. If you wish to know a worlds density, youll require to know both measurements (diameter and mass). For this factor, KPF will be utilized to compare notes with Kepler data and other transit telescopes. Together, the transit method and the radial speed technique paint a fuller photo of the structure and conditions of remote exoplanets, which they might not do alone.
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KPF wishes to find brand-new planets too, especially smaller, rocky worlds orbiting close to their stars. It is more delicate than the Keck Observatorys previous planter finder (the High-Resolution Echelle Spectrometer, or HIRES), assisted in part by the usage of a ceramic-glass hybrid material called Zerodur for its base and optical parts. The material doesnt broaden or contract with temperature level modifications, meaning there are less incorrect signals chose up by KPF. While HIRES might spot the wobble of a star at a speed of 200 centimeters per 2nd, KPF can do so at 30 centimeters per second. As Andrew Howard, KPFs principal investigator puts it, “Were measuring a movement that is slower than a human walking. And the stars are light-years away and 100 times bigger than the whole Earth.” Its an excellent task.
Spectrum of the star HD 164922 taken with the Keck Planet Finder throughout its very first night of operation. Credit: Guðmundur Stefánsson and the KPF group.
There are limitations, obviously. KPF will be finest suited for observing planets around dim stars like red overshadows, instead of Sun-like stars. These stars have habitable zones much more detailed in than that of our Sun, but are typically considered less ideal for life due to the higher solar flare activity normally found because kind of star.
The team is thrilled to study extremely little rocky worlds close to their stars, as well as planets with odd orbits and high inclinations that take a trip over the poles of their stars. Among the very first endeavors will be to intend KPF at the 50 closest stars to Earth, browsing for worlds in our own local area.
After observing Jupiter on Wednesday night, KPF turned its look to other star systems for the very first time. It will continue its commissioning phase for the next a number of months, and go into primary operations in the spring. When it does, it makes certain to reveal information of interesting brand-new worlds, some of which might even be candidates for direct observation by the James Webb Space Telescope or next-generation ground-based telescopes.
Find out more: Whitney Clavin, “Keck Observatorys Newest Planet Hunter Puts Its Eye on the Sky.” CalTech
Featured Image: KPFs Zerodur optical bench. Credit: Jerry Edelstein and the KPF team.
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Called the Keck Planet Finder, or KPF for short, the new instrument at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii attained first light on November 9 by taking a light spectrum of the world Jupiter. Of course, KPF is designed to discover planets in other solar systems, so the data from Jupiter was just a first step– a test run of the instruments capabilities. KPF discovers planets using the radial speed technique, which indicates it observes the wobble of a star as it is yanked gravitationally by any worlds that might be orbiting it. KPF hopes to discover new planets too, specifically smaller sized, rocky worlds orbiting close to their stars. KPF will be best matched for observing worlds around dim stars like red overshadows, rather than Sun-like stars.
