Spitzer Space Telescope - General Observer Proposal #20482


Measuring thermal emission of extrasolar giant planets with Spitzer

Principal Investigator: Eric Agol
           Institution: University of Washington

Co-Investigators: 
David Charbonneau, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics        

Science Category: extrasolar planets 
 Observing Modes: IracMap 
  Hours Approved: 20.8 

Abstract:
We propose to detect three close-in extrasolar giant planets, 51 Peg
b, HD 209458 b, and HD 179949b, by measuring the color variations
between 3.6 and 8 microns with IRAC as a function of orbital phase.
This will constitute the first photometric detection of thermal
emission from non-transiting giant planets.  We will calibrate the
day-night temperature asymmetry with a light curve of the transiting
planet HD 209458, allowing us to measure the inclination and masses of
the non-transiting planets and pave the way for observations of many
other extrasolar giant planets with Spitzer.