Stars and Planets

NY Times article discussing the discovery of a handful of new planets orbiting two stars. We’ve been discovering planets fairly regularly in the last few years, but what makes these interesting (at least, more interesting than the run-of-the-mill extra-solar planet, which is already pretty interesting) is these are the first ones we’ve discovered using visual means. Up until now, the planets we’ve discovered have been detected due to gravitational wobbles the planets induce in their stars, or by the decrease in the star’s luminance as the planets pass between the star and us.

The planets were discovered around two different stars, using two different methods – one using adaptive optics, where the mirror of the telescope is flexed rapidly to compensate for the distortions caused by the atmosphere and one with the Hubble Space Telescope. It’s fascinating that two different sets of scientists can use such different means towards the same end.