The New Mexico Exoplanet Spectroscopic Survey Instrument (NESSI) is a ground-based
near-infrared
Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of Light, visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from ...
spectrographic system specifically designed to study the atmospheres of
exoplanet
An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System. The first possible evidence of an exoplanet was noted in 1917 but was not recognized as such. The first confirmation of detection occurred in 1992. A different planet, init ...
s.
The NESSI instrument was mounted in 2014 on a 2.4 meter telescope at the
Magdalena Ridge Observatory
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO) is an astronomical observatory in Socorro County, New Mexico, about 32 kilometers (20 mi) west of the town of Socorro. The observatory is located in the Magdalena Mountains near the summit of South B ...
in
Socorro County, New Mexico
Socorro County is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,866. The county seat is Socorro. The county was formed in 1852 as one of the original nine counties of New Mexico Territory. Socorro was ...
, USA,
achieving first light on 7 April 2014.
Overview
NESSI, a $3.5 million instrument, is the first purpose-built device for the analysis of exoplanet atmospheres,
and is expected to have a powerful impact on the field of exoplanet characterization.
The Principal Investigator is Michelle Creech-Eakman at the
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech and formerly New Mexico School of Mines) is a public university in Socorro, New Mexico. It offers over 30 bachelor of science degrees in technology, the sciences, engineering, man ...
, working with seven co-investigators
from
New Mexico Tech
The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech and formerly New Mexico School of Mines) is a public university in Socorro, New Mexico. It offers over 30 bachelor of science degrees in technology, the sciences, engineering, man ...
,
Magdalena Ridge Observatory
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO) is an astronomical observatory in Socorro County, New Mexico, about 32 kilometers (20 mi) west of the town of Socorro. The observatory is located in the Magdalena Mountains near the summit of South B ...
, and NASA
JPL. It is partly funded by NASA's
Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, in partnership with the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
The NESSI spectroscope was mounted on the institute's 2.4 meter telescope at the
Magdalena Ridge Observatory
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO) is an astronomical observatory in Socorro County, New Mexico, about 32 kilometers (20 mi) west of the town of Socorro. The observatory is located in the Magdalena Mountains near the summit of South B ...
in
Socorro County, New Mexico
Socorro County is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,866. The county seat is Socorro. The county was formed in 1852 as one of the original nine counties of New Mexico Territory. Socorro was ...
, USA,
and its first exoplanet observations began on April 7, 2014. In 2016 a contract was established with JPL to retrofit NESSI with new foreoptics and a mounting collar for use on the Hale Telescope at the Palomar Observatory. NESSI achieved first light on the Hale Telescope in Feb, 2018 and was undertaking a series of observations to establish its sensitivity and precision for exoplanet spectroscopy.
NESSI will capture the
spectra of both the star and the planet during the transit and then allow scientists to deduct the composition of the planet's atmosphere. The novel technology is expected to achieve high definition readings by using algorithms to calibrate and compensate for time-variable telluric features and instrumental variability throughout an observation.
Scientific goals
NESSI will be able to detect and study a wide range of wavelengths in the
near-infrared region of the light spectrum. NESSI will be used to study about 100 exoplanets, ranging from massive 'super-Earths' to
gas giant
A gas giant is a giant planet composed mainly of hydrogen and helium. Gas giants are also called failed stars because they contain the same basic elements as a star. Jupiter and Saturn are the gas giants of the Solar System. The term "gas giant" ...
s. It uses a technique called
transit spectroscopy, in which a planet is observed as it crosses in front of, then behind, its parent star. The observed light is beamed through a
spectrometer
A spectrometer () is a scientific instrument used to separate and measure spectral components of a physical phenomenon. Spectrometer is a broad term often used to describe instruments that measure a continuous variable of a phenomenon where the ...
that breaks it apart, ultimately revealing chemicals that make up the planet's atmosphere.
NESSI is expected to devote about 50 nights per year for surveying exoplanets via infrared spectroscopy.
See also
*
HARPS spectrograph
The High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) is a high-precision echelle planet-finding spectrograph installed in 2002 on the ESO's 3.6m telescope at La Silla Observatory in Chile. The first light was achieved in February 2003. ...
*
List of extrasolar planets
These are lists of exoplanets. Most of these were discovered by the Kepler space telescope. There are an additional 2,054 potential exoplanets from Kepler's first mission yet to be confirmed, as well as 978 from its " Second Light" mission and ...
*
List of exoplanet search projects
References
External links
NESSI Home pageat the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
{{Portal bar, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System
Astronomical surveys
Exoplanet search projects