Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope–Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets coronagraphic operations: lessons learned from the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope

We present a study on the spatially scanned spectroscopic observations of the transit of GJ 1132 b, a warm (~500 K) Super-Earth (1.13 Re) that was obtained with the G141 grism (1.125 - 1.650 micron) of the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) onboard the Hubble Space Telescope. We used the publicly available Iraclis pipeline to extract the planetary transmission spectra from the five visits and produce a precise transmission spectrum. We analysed the spectrum using the TauREx3 atmospheric retrieval code with which we show that the measurements do not contain molecular signatures in the investigated wavelength range and are best-fit with a flat-line model. Our results suggest that the planet does not have a clear primordial, hydrogen-dominated atmosphere. Instead, GJ 1132 b could have a cloudy hydrogen-dominated envelope, a very enriched secondary atmosphere, be airless, or have a tenuous atmosphere that has not been detected. Due to the narrow wavelength coverage of WFC3, these scenarios cannot be distinguished yet but the James Webb Space Telescope may be capable of detecting atmospheric features, although several observations may be required to provide useful constraints

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Characterising the Hot Jupiters WASP-127\,b, WASP-79\,b and WASP-62\,b with HST

10.5194/epsc2020-834 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nour Skaf

Keyword(s):

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

Wide Field ◽

Space Telescope ◽

Hot Jupiters ◽

James Webb Space Telescope ◽

Cloudy Atmosphere ◽

Iron Hydride ◽

Short Period ◽

And Migration ◽

Best Fit

We would like to present the atmospheric characterisation of three large, gaseous planets: WASP-127b, WASP-79b and WASP-62b. We analysed spectroscopic data obtained with the G141 grism (1.088 - 1.68 um) of the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) using the Iraclis pipeline and the TauREx3 retrieval code, both of which are publicly available. For WASP-127b, which is the least dense planet discovered so far and is located in the short-period Neptune desert, our retrieval results found strong water absorption corresponding to an abundance of log(H$_2$O) = -2.71$^{+0.78}_{-1.05}$, and absorption compatible with an iron hydride abundance of log(FeH)=$-5.25^{+0.88}_{-1.10}$, with an extended cloudy atmosphere. We also detected water vapour in the atmospheres of WASP-79b and WASP-62b, with best-fit models indicating the presence of iron hydride, too. We used the Atmospheric Detectability Index (ADI) as well as Bayesian log evidence to quantify the strength of the detection and compared our results to the hot Jupiter population study by Tsiaras et al 2018. While all the planets studied here are suitable targets for characterisation with upcoming facilities such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Ariel, WASP-127b is of particular interest due to its low density, and a thorough atmospheric study would develop our understanding of planet formation and migration.&#160;

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All NIRspec Needs is HST/WFC3 Pre-Imaging? The Use of Milky Way Stars in WFC3 Imaging to Register NIRspec MSA Observations

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation ◽

10.1142/s2251171716500082 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 05 (03) ◽

pp. 1650008

Author(s):

B. W. Holwerda ◽

R. J. Bouwens ◽

M. Trenti ◽

M. A. Kenworthy

Keyword(s):

Near Infrared ◽

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

High Redshift ◽

Wide Field ◽

Galactic Latitude ◽

Space Telescope ◽

James Webb Space Telescope ◽

Specific Formula ◽

The Right ◽

Guide Star

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be an exquisite new near-infrared observatory with imaging and multi-object spectroscopy through ESA’s NIRspec instrument with its unique Micro-Shutter Array (MSA), allowing for slits to be positioned on astronomical targets by opening specific [Formula: see text]-wide micro shutter doors. To ensure proper Target Acquisition (TA), the on-sky position of the MSA needs to be verified before spectroscopic observations start. An onboard centroiding program registers the position of pre-identified guide stars in a TA image, a short pre-spectroscopy exposure without dispersion (image mode) through the MSA with all shutters open. The outstanding issue is the availability of Galactic stars in the right luminosity range for TA relative to typical high redshift targets. We explore this here using the stars and [Formula: see text] candidate galaxies identified in the source extractor catalogs of Brightest of Reionizing Galaxies survey (BoRG[z8]), a pure-parallel program with Hubble Space Telescope Wide-Field Camera 3. We find that (a) a single WFC3 field contains enough Galactic stars to satisfy the NIRspec astrometry requirement (20 milli-arcseconds), provided its and the NIRspec TA’s are [Formula: see text] AB in WFC3 [Formula: see text], (b) a single WFC3 image can therefore serve as the pre-image if need be, (c) a WFC3 mosaic and accompanying TA image satisfy the astrometry requirement at [Formula: see text] AB mag in WFC3 [Formula: see text], (d) no specific Galactic latitude requires deeper TA imaging due to a lack of Galactic stars, and (e) a depth of [Formula: see text] AB mag in WFC3 [Formula: see text] is needed if a guide star in the same MSA quadrant as a target is required. We take the example of a BoRG identified [Formula: see text] candidate galaxy and require a Galactic star within 20[Formula: see text] of it. In this case, a depth of 25.5 AB in [Formula: see text] is required (with [Formula: see text]97% confidence).

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Detection of Na, K, and H2O in the hazy atmosphere of WASP-6b

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/staa1078 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 494 (4) ◽

pp. 5449-5472 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Aarynn L Carter ◽

Nikolay Nikolov ◽

David K Sing ◽

Munazza K Alam ◽

Jayesh M Goyal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

Wide Field ◽

Space Telescope ◽

A Value ◽

James Webb Space Telescope ◽

Very Large Telescope ◽

Process Framework ◽

Heterogeneity Correction ◽

Imaging Spectrograph ◽

Absorption Features

ABSTRACT We present new observations of the transmission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-6b both from the ground with the Very Large Telescope FOcal Reducer and Spectrograph (FORS2) from 0.45 to 0.83 μm, and space with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite from 0.6 to 1.0 μm and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 from 1.12 to 1.65 μm. Archival data from the HST Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and Spitzer are also re-analysed on a common Gaussian process framework, of which the STIS data show a good overall agreement with the overlapping FORS2 data. We also explore the effects of stellar heterogeneity on our observations and its resulting implications towards determining the atmospheric characteristics of WASP-6b. Independent of our assumptions for the level of stellar heterogeneity we detect Na i, K i, and H2O absorption features and constrain the elemental oxygen abundance to a value of [O/H] ≃ −0.9 ± 0.3 relative to solar. In contrast, we find that the stellar heterogeneity correction can have significant effects on the retrieved distributions of the [Na/H] and [K/H] abundances, primarily through its degeneracy with the sloping optical opacity of scattering haze species within the atmosphere. Our results also show that despite this presence of haze, WASP-6b remains a favourable object for future atmospheric characterization with upcoming missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope.

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The Hubble PanCET program: Transit and Eclipse Spectroscopy of the Hot-Jupiter WASP-74b

The Astronomical Journal ◽

10.3847/1538-3881/ac3008 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 162 (6) ◽

pp. 271

Author(s):

Guangwei Fu ◽

Drake Deming ◽

Erin May ◽

Kevin Stevenson ◽

David K. Sing ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rayleigh Scattering ◽

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

Absorption Feature ◽

Spectral Library ◽

Data Set ◽

Space Telescope ◽

Methane Absorption ◽

James Webb Space Telescope ◽

Hot Jupiter

Abstract Planets are like children with each one being unique and special. A better understanding of their collective properties requires a deeper understanding of each planet. Here we add the transit and eclipse spectra of hot-Jupiter WASP-74b into the ever growing data set of exoplanet atmosphere spectral library. With six transits and three eclipses using the Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope (Spitzer), we present the most complete and precise atmospheric spectra of WASP-74b. We found no evidence for TiO/VO nor super-Rayleigh scattering reported in previous studies. The transit shows a muted water feature with strong Rayleigh scattering extending into the infrared. The eclipse shows a featureless blackbody-like WFC3/G141 spectrum and a weak methane absorption feature in the Spitzer 3.6 μm band. Future James Webb Space Telescope follow-up observations are needed to confirm these results.

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Wide Field Camera 3 instrument optical design for the Hubble Space Telescope

10.1117/12.550893 ◽

2004 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jennifer A. Turner-Valle ◽

Joseph Sullivan ◽

John E. Mentzell ◽

Robert A. Woodruff

Keyword(s):

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

Optical Design ◽

Wide Field ◽

Space Telescope

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Servicing the Hubble - Risk Mitigation, Lessons Learned, and Rewards in Completing Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Missions

Space 2004 Conference and Exhibit ◽

10.2514/6.2004-5831 ◽

2004 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Robert Dedalis ◽

Patrick Mitchell

Keyword(s):

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

Risk Mitigation ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Space Telescope

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Hubble Space Telescope observations of Europa in and out of eclipse

International Journal of Astrobiology ◽

10.1017/s1473550410000285 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 265-271 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

W.B. Sparks ◽

M. McGrath ◽

K. Hand ◽

H.C. Ford ◽

P. Geissler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

Broad Band ◽

Line Emission ◽

Optical Emission ◽

High Energy ◽

High Energy Particle ◽

Wide Field ◽

Particle Radiation ◽

Space Telescope ◽

Solar Blind

AbstractEuropa is a prime target for astrobiology and has been prioritized as the next target for a National Aeronautics and Space Administration flagship mission. It is important, therefore, that we advance our understanding of Europa, its ocean and physical environment as much as possible. Here, we describe observations of Europa obtained during its orbital eclipse by Jupiter using the Hubble Space Telescope. We obtained Advanced Camera for Surveys Solar Blind Channel far ultraviolet low-resolution spectra that show oxygen line emission both in and out of eclipse. We also used the Wide-Field and Planetary Camera-2 and searched for broad-band optical emission from fluorescence of the surface material, arising from the very high level of incident energetic particle radiation on ices and potentially organic substances. The high-energy particle radiation at the surface of Europa is extremely intense and is responsible for the production of a tenuous oxygen atmosphere and associated FUV line emission. Approximately 50% of the oxygen emission lasts at least a few hours into the eclipse. We discuss the detection limits of the optical emission, which allow us to estimate the fraction of incident energy reradiated at optical wavelengths, through electron-excited emission, Cherenkov radiation in the ice and fluorescent processes.

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9. The next telescopes

Telescopes: A Very Short Introduction ◽

10.1093/actrade/9780198745860.003.0009 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 122-138

Author(s):

Geoff Cottrell

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Dark Energy ◽

Adaptive Optics ◽

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

Scientific Instrument ◽

Space Telescope ◽

James Webb Space Telescope ◽

First Galaxies ◽

New Generation ◽

Optical Telescopes

Each question that telescopes have helped answer has led to new questions: what is dark matter and dark energy? How did the first galaxies form? Are there habitable, Earth-like exoplanets? To address these questions, a new generation of telescopes are being built. ‘The next telescopes’ describes some of these, including the three extremely large infrared/optical telescopes, equipped with adaptive optics systems, due to start operating in the next decade. Other new telescopes discussed are the Square Kilometre Array, a radio telescope that will soon be the world’s largest scientific instrument, and the James Webb Space Telescope due to be launched in 2018, which is the 100 times more powerful successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.

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