This illustration compares the sizes of exoplanets GJ 436b and GJ 1214b with Earth and Neptune. These so-called super-Earths have masses between gas giants, like Neptune, and smaller, rocky planets, like Earth. No such type of planet exists in our solar system. NASA Hubble Space Telescope spectroscopic observations reveal that these worlds could very likely be smothered in clouds that cloak any information about the planets' underlying chemical compositions. This artistic rendering of the exoplanets is speculative and does not necessarily reflect what their true appearance might actually be.
Credits
NASA, ESA, and A. Feild and G. Bacon (STScI)| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | GJ 1214b, GJ 436b, Earth, and Neptune |
| Object Description | Extrasolar Planet |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | About GJ 1214b The Hubble data are from proposal : J. Bean (University of Chicago), J.-M. Desert (California Institute of Technology), S. Seager (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), D. Deming (University of Maryland), B. Benneke (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Z. Berta-Thompson (Harvard University), K. Stevenson (University of Chicago), and D. Homeier (Lyon Centre for Astrophysics Research). The science team includes: L. Kreidberg and J. Bean (University of Chicago), J.-M. Desert (California Institute of Technology), B. Benneke (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), D. Deming (University of Maryland), K. Stevenson (University of Chicago), S. Seager (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Z. Berta-Thompson (Harvard University), A. Seifahrt (University of Chicago), and D. Homeier (Lyon Centre for Astrophysics Research). About GJ 436b The Hubble data are from proposal : H. Knutson (California Institute of Technology), D. Charbonneau (Harvard University), and S. Seager (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). The science team includes: H. Knutson (California Institute of Technology), B. Benneke (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), D. Deming (University of Maryland), and D. Homeier (Lyon Centre for Astrophysics Research). |
| Instrument | HST>WFC3 |
| Filters | Grim: G141 |
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | A name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object. |
| Object Description | The type of astronomical object. |
| R.A. Position | Right ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Dec. Position | Declination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Constellation | One of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears. |
| Distance | The physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs. |
| Dimensions | The physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky. |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description |
|
| Instrument | The science instrument used to produce the data. |
| Exposure Dates | The date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time. |
| Filters | The camera filters that were used in the science observations. |
| About The Image | |
| Image Credit | The primary individuals and institutions responsible for the content. |
| Publication Date | The date and time the release content became public. |
| Color Info | A brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented. |
| Orientation | The rotation of the image on the sky with respect to the north pole of the celestial sphere. |
