潘多拉(Pandora)是 NASA 最新的系外行星任务,也是该机构天体物理学先驱计划(Astrophysics Pioneers program)中首颗发射的卫星。目前,该任务正对太阳系外的行星及其所环绕的恒星开展独特观测。任务将测定至少 20 颗系外行星的大气成分,包括是否存在霾、云和水。"潘多拉的数据[…]"
Pandora, NASA’s newest exoplanet mission and the first satellite to launch through the agency’s Astrophysics Pioneers program, is now making unique observations of worlds beyond our solar system and the stars they orbit. The mission will determine the atmospheric make-up of at least 20 exoplanets, including the presence of hazes, clouds, and water. “Pandora’s data […]
使潘多拉(Pandora)任务独具特色有三大因素:其搭载了一台新型全铝合金望远镜,口径约18英寸(45厘米);它将同时以可见光与红外波段观测系外行星及其宿主恒星;且其单次观测时长远超韦布太空望远镜(Webb)等旗舰级天文台所能实现的观测时间。当行星从其宿主恒星前方经过(即发生凌星现象)时,望远镜可对行星大气进行采样。在此过程中,部分星光会掠过行星大气层后抵达地球。当这些光与大气分子相互作用时,分子的化学特征便被“编码”于其中。每种分子均会在特定波长处造成可观测的亮度下降。但我们的仪器所接收的光不仅包含掠过行星大气的星光,还包括来自整颗恒星的光。而恒星表面并非均匀一致:其上存在温度更高、更明亮的区域(称为谱斑,faculae),也存在温度更低、更暗的区域(类似于太阳黑子)。随着恒星自转,这些区域的大小、形状和位置均会发生变化。
Three factors make Pandora unique. It carries a novel all-aluminum telescope about 18 inches (45 centimeters) in diameter, it will study planets and their host stars simultaneously in both visible and infrared light, and it will observe targets for a much longer time than flagship observatories like Webb are able to. Telescopes can sample a planet’s atmosphere in systems where the planet passes in front of its star as seen from our perspective. During this event, called a transit, some starlight skims the planet’s atmosphere before making its way to us. As this light interacts with atmospheric molecules, their chemical fingerprints become embedded in it. For each molecule, astronomers see brightness dips at characteristic wavelengths. But our instruments also see light from the whole star, not just what grazes the planet. Stellar surfaces aren’t uniform. They sport hotter, brighter areas called faculae and cooler, darker regions similar to sunspots. Both can grow, shrink, and change position as the star rotates.