When did the first exoplanet around a star like the Sun get directly imaged?
Quick Answer
The first widely accepted direct image of an exoplanet was published in 2004, for 2M1207 b; a planet around a Sun-like star was directly imaged in 2008 around the star 1RXS J160929.1−210524.
The Full Story
Direct imaging of exoplanets is very difficult because stars are so much brighter than their planets. One of the first widely accepted directly imaged exoplanets was 2M1207 b in 2004, though it orbits a brown dwarf rather than a Sun-like star. A directly imaged planet around a Sun-like star was reported in 2008, around the star 1RXS J160929.1−210524. These observations marked a major step forward in exoplanet astronomy and helped scientists study planetary atmospheres and formation.
Key Facts
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"Astronomers finally snapped a real image of an alien planet in the 2000s."
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