Title:

Imaging Exoplanets from Ground-based Telescopes



Rene Doyon
University of Montreal
Canada



Abstract:

More than one hundred planetary systems have now been identified
in the solar neighborhood through accurate radial velocity
measurements. These observations have surprisingly unveiled "hot
Jupiters", that is gas giant planets orbiting their parent star
in a few days at a distance one tenth that of the Mercury orbit.
A well-studied planetary transit has also yielded crucial
physical measurements of a gas giant outside the Solar System.
Taking an image of an exoplanet is likely to be the next
breakthrough in exoplanet science. This will open the parameter
space for detection and leading the way to physical
characterization through spectroscopy. The ultimate goal is to
find a earth-like planet with telltale signature of life. This
task is dauntingly difficult since the planet is very faint and
buried under the glare of its parent star, requiring the largest
possible telescope equipped with a new generation of adaptive
optics system and specialized coronagraphic instrumentation. My
talk will describe the technical challenges and possible
solutions to exoplanet imaging on ground-based telescopes. While
challenging, imaging young planets may soon be within reach of
current instrumentation on 8-meter class telescopes.