The starshade is also unique in that, unlike most space-based instruments, it’s one part of a two-spacecraft observation system. “Less light bending means that the starshade shadow is very dark, so the telescope can take images of the planets without being overwhelmed by starlight. Stuart Shaklan, JPL’s lead engineer on the starshade project. ![]() “The shape of the petals, when seen from far away, creates a softer edge that causes less bending of light waves,” said Dr. The flower-shaped petals are part of what makes the starshade so effective. Using this technology, astronomers would be able to take actual pictures of exoplanets – images that could provide clues as to whether such worlds could support life as we know it. With the starlight suppressed, light coming from exoplanets orbiting the star would be visible. Working in conjunction with a space-based telescope, the starshade is able to position itself precisely between the telescope and the star that’s being observed, and can block the starlight before it even reaches the telescope’s mirrors. It’s a task that NASA’s flower-shaped starshade is designed to make easier. In order to achieve this feat, researchers are developing techniques to block out the starlight while preserving the light emitted by the planet. Picking out the dim light of a planet from a star billions of times brighter is akin to finding a needle in a cosmic haystack, especially when the planet in question is a small, rocky world similar to Earth. It’s actually the latest design in a cutting-edge effort to take pictures of planets orbiting stars far from the sun.Īstronomers have been indirectly detecting exoplanets for more than 15 years, but actually taking a picture of one has proven an immensely difficult task. ![]() The flower you see in this animation isn’t NASA’s attempt to celebrate the coming of spring.
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