Universe  ID: 20245

WFIRST Orbit Diagrams

Released on September 20, 2016
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Animation showing Earth's orbit. Then the type of planet WFIRST will be able to directly observe: roughly Neptune size in a 1.6AU or greater orbit. And, finally, the type of planet at the current limit of direct observation: Jupiter-size or larger and 40AU from its host star.
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Animation showing the locations of the Earth-sun Lagrange points, places where gravitational effects create stable locations that a satellite can remain it with minimal effort.
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Animation showing the difference between the type of planet WFIRST will be able to directly image, versus the type of planet most commonly discovered through other methods.
 

Used Elsewhere In

WFIRST Will See the Big Picture of the Universe

Animation Credits

Lisa Poje (USRA): Animator
Scott Wiessinger (USRA): Animator
Neil Gehrels (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Scott Wiessinger (USRA): Producer
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Short URL to share this page:
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20245

Mission:
Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST)

This item is part of these series:
Astrophysics Animations
WFIRST Pre-Launch

Keywords:
SVS >> Orbit
SVS >> Astrophysics
SVS >> Lagrange Points
NASA Science >> Universe
SVS >> Exoplanet
SVS >> WFIRST
SVS >> 4K