Direct Image of Extrasolar Planets about Fomalhaut

[Zaphod_B]

Hello All,

I'm sure that you've all seen the news this week about the direct imaging of 4 extra-solar planets.

I was looking at one (see this link) and there seem (at least to me anyway) to be 2 more candidates in this image.

I've reporduced the image below and circled my "suspects".

Credit original photo CNN.com

What do people think? Are they 2 more planets?

Zaph

[kev 102 42]

No, they are the two brightest spots on that pic, i think they would have had a look at them first

[Doc]

Remember that you have the best scientific brains working on this.

So I would say that these white star like objects would have been scrutinised already.

[Zaphod_B]

I agree,

You'd THINK that they would have spotted them . . .

. . . but stranger things have happened (!)

I mean to say, who'd think that NASA when buliding a multi-billion dollar space telescope would mix up inches and millimetres when measuring the curvature of the primary mirror eh?

Zaph

[EA2007]

Hello Zaph,

I always look at images and try and deduce things that might not have been found before but that will of course be after many many others (people who are more educated than myself!) have done so....but its worth a try.

Anyway I have to make the point that this image (slightly reminiscent of Sauron's Eye!) shows a clear ring of material (seen here in yellowy orange) circuling the blotted out star. This ring is supposed to be carved out partly because of the newly formed planet or more correctly 'planetisimal' (sp?), the objects you have outlined are not near any such ring structure or not associated with one atleast.

[Zaphod_B]

Anyway I have to make the point that this image (slightly reminiscent of Sauron's Eye!) shows a clear ring of material (seen here in yellowy orange) circuling the blotted out star.

Yes it DOES doesn't it?

I always look at images and try and deduce things that might not have been found before but that will of course be after many many others (people who are more educated than myself!) have done so....but its worth a try.

But remember that Danish astronomer that recently spotted something and had it named after her?

This ring is supposed to be carved out partly because of the newly formed planet or more correctly 'planetisimal' (sp?), the objects you have outlined are not near any such ring structure or not associated with one at least.

Sadly EA2007, you're probably right! They're probably background stars behind Sauron's Eye (like the "Pillars of Creation" I think you may have hit on an excellent name for this image BTW).

Just think though if they HAVE overlooked them, I've just discovered 2 new extrasolar planets

How cool is that

Zaph

[EA2007]

Sadly EA2007, you're probably right! They're probably background stars behind Sauron's Eye (like the "Pillars of Creation" I think you may have hit on an excellent name for this image BTW). Just think though if they HAVE overlooked them, I've just discovered 2 new extrasolar planets How cool is that Zaph

Well if anyone continues to name it Sauron's Eye then I have bagsied it first![/]

[AstroTiger]

Never assume anything in science.

It is perfectly plausible that you might have discovered something extra in the image.

You know how it goes, a few eleated scientists spot one, then get so excited.

The others are quite right, i am sure the image has been scrutinised by the worlds best. But you never can tell.

I would be gutted myself if there was a revision in the papers a month or so later confirming things if i could have got in first for the credit!

On another note, i was showing the image to a non astronomer last night, thats another soon to be converted over i think.

Unless it was just a wow factor and nothing more!

[darditti]

I mean to say, who'd think that NASA when buliding a multi-billion dollar space telescope would mix up inches and millimetres when measuring the curvature of the primary mirror eh?]

They didn't, you are mixing up two different stories. The inches/millimeters thing was the reason one of the Mars probes failed. The failure to get the right curve on the HST mirror was due to a faulty testing rig.

David

[EA2007]

Remember the cassini - huygens probe, someone forgot to flick a switch on, hence they only got one data stream.

[Dippus]

The great Metric Mix-up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter

oops... :oops:

[timetraveller]

Found another possible target on the same photo and this one is associated with a dark band

take a look and see whhat you think

regards Pete

(click to enlarge)

[EA2007]

Your quite keen on this aren't you?

I think the objects you have pointed out are background (or) foreground stars, including the new one.

Along with the reasons I have already stated, here's a few more:

a) the faint 'dark lane' in which your object is lying is just that....faint. If it were a planitesimal then like the other exoplanets it would have a defined path leading around the parent star.

also, because of its closer proximity to the parent star, its orbit would thus be shorter (venus compared to neptune say), meaning that the path it carves out would be significantly more visible and more noticable than the one further out.

c) newly formed planets have whats known as 'eccentric' orbits, meaning that they are more oval than circular. In our solar system, no planet has a perfect orbit with an eccentricity of 0, most are close at 0.1 whereas pluto etc (being a dwarf-planet / comet) is highly eccentric at 0.7 or something similar. Your proposed object appears to be lying in a dust lane which is pretty circular, going against planetary formation theory.

Just a few points (I may be wrong with the way the eccentricity works, I think 0 = near circular and 1 = very oval, might be vice-versa).

[timetraveller]

Hiya EA2007

I thank you for your comments and points raised ,but there is a counter point to your arguments against which is the actual dust ring surrounding the plannet is more liable than not to actually be a planetary accretion disc which means its not only full of dust but much larger particles too and any plantesimal would generate a gravity field large enough to be drawing material in towards it as it orbits around the star closing down the dust lane secondly there is no reall evidence of scale on this photo that thin dark lane could be easilly thousands or millions of kilometers across if not bigger

also if they were background stars located were they are i doubt very much you would see them through all that dust and debris as for ecentric orbits if they are planetoids in the process of being created there paths would be being influence by all the surrounding material and collisions and if you look carefully at the photo those lanes are anything but circular

regards Pete

[EA2007]

I thnk were going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

If the object you are talking about is actually there and drawing material in, you would still see a substantial 'ring' section for its path.

I think the exposure time on this image is quite long, hence what I state as being bg/fg stars appearing brighter due to longer exposure.

Merry Christmas though

[NickH]

Reality check.

As stated the finest minds with spectroscopic analysis equipment the like of which we can only dream of, will have ascertained the spectra/position/redshift etc of every single possible object in that FOV, in fact, the data reduction software they are using, and mathematical models of the disc/wobble etc, they probably knew what they were looking for.

I am not saying it's not possible for the Hubble team (greatest scope in history, finest PhD's on Earth) could have missed some blindingly obvious specs, but...

[timetraveller]

we live per chance to dream ,happy christmas to one and all but just as a little ray of hope who was it discovered shoemaker leavy 9 was about to plough into jupiter dont all shout at once but i dont here anybody from either NASA or the hubble team raising their hand or voice whoops missed that one

regards Pete

[NickH]

Shoemaker Levy 9 wasn't under constant study for several years.

It can happen, but the very obvious blobs in that image... if they missed those as being planets, I'd sack the lot of em

[timetraveller]

oh your a hard task master Nick and it being the season of good will to all men mind you it says good will to men not women now doesn't it whoops thats going to get a response i feel lol

regards Pete