Polarization technique focuses limelight

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An artistic view of the HD189733 star-planet system near a half-moon phase when polarization of the light reflected by the planet reaches the maximum. Credit: ETH Zurich S.V. Berdyugina
An artistic view of the HD189733 star-planet system near a half-moon phase when polarization of the light reflected by the planet reaches the maximum. Credit: ETH Zurich, S.V. Berdyugina

The ability to explore remote worlds in space has been enhanced through a polarization technique that allows the first ever detection of light reflected by extrasolar (exoplanet) planets. The study has been accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letters.


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