The Deep Blue Color of HD 189733b: Albedo Measurements with Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph at Visible Wavelengths

Evans, Thomas M.; Pont, Frédéric; Singh, David; Aigrain, Suzanne; Barstow, Joanna K.; Désert, Jean-Michel; Gibson, Neale; Heng, Kevin; Knutson, Heather A.; Lecavelier des Etangs, Alain (2013). The Deep Blue Color of HD 189733b: Albedo Measurements with Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph at Visible Wavelengths. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 772(2), L16. Institute of Physics Publishing IOP 10.1088/2041-8205/772/2/L16

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We present a secondary eclipse observation for the hot Jupiter HD 189733b across the wavelength range 290-570 nm made using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. We measure geometric albedos of Ag = 0.40 ± 0.12 across 290-450 nm and Ag < 0.12 across 450-570 nm at 1σ confidence. The albedo decrease toward longer wavelengths is also apparent when using six wavelength bins over the same wavelength range. This can be interpreted as evidence for optically thick reflective clouds on the dayside hemisphere with sodium absorption suppressing the scattered light signal beyond ~450 nm. Our best-fit albedo values imply that HD 189733b would appear a deep blue color at visible wavelengths.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Physics Institute > Space Research and Planetary Sciences
08 Faculty of Science > Physics Institute
10 Strategic Research Centers > Center for Space and Habitability (CSH)

UniBE Contributor:

Pont, Frédéric, Singh, David, Heng, Kevin

Subjects:

500 Science > 520 Astronomy
600 Technology > 620 Engineering
500 Science > 530 Physics

ISSN:

2041-8205

Publisher:

Institute of Physics Publishing IOP

Language:

English

Submitter:

Danielle Zemp

Date Deposited:

13 Oct 2014 17:05

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:37

Publisher DOI:

10.1088/2041-8205/772/2/L16

ArXiv ID:

1307.3239

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.59286

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/59286

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