We Just Took the First Image of a Baby Planet!

The video discusses the challenges of capturing images of newborn planets, highlighting the recent success of imaging PDS70-B using the SPHERE instrument on the ESO's Very Large Telescope. It explains the techniques used to filter out starlight and capture clear images of exoplanets. The video also details the characteristics of PDS70-B, a gas giant with a cloudy atmosphere. Additionally, it covers research on the origins of asteroids in the solar system, revealing that most asteroids in the inner main belt come from five parent bodies, which simplifies their study and enhances our understanding of the early solar system.

What makes it difficult to capture images of newborn planets?

• They are too far from Earth.

• They are outshined by their star's light and obscured by dust.

• They move too quickly across the sky.

• They are too small to be detected.

What is the primary function of the SPHERE instrument?

• To measure the gravitational pull of black holes.

• To capture images of exoplanets in visible and near-infrared light.

• To detect radio waves from distant galaxies.

• To analyze the chemical composition of stars.

How does the SPHERE instrument filter out starlight?

• By capturing images only during solar eclipses.

• By focusing only on the brightest objects in the sky.

• By taking multiple images over time and using algorithms to remove stationary objects.

• By using a special lens that blocks all light.

What is the estimated surface temperature of the planet PDS70-B?

• 500 degrees Celsius

• 1000 degrees Celsius

• 1500 degrees Celsius

• 2000 degrees Celsius

What is the significance of studying new planets like PDS70-B?

• To measure the speed of light in different environments.

• To discover new sources of minerals.

• To understand the early stages of planet formation.

• To find new habitable planets for humans.

What percentage of asteroids in the asteroid belt closest to Mars come from five parent bodies?

• 50%

• 95%

• 70%

• 85%

Why is it important to know the origins of asteroids?

• To predict their future paths.

• To understand the early solar system and protect Earth from potential impacts.

• To find new planets.

• To measure the age of the universe.