Toward the Direct Detection of Extrasolar Giant Planets

行星是如何形成的？我们太阳系的起源是什么？它是独一无二的吗？为了回答这些问题，仅研究我们的太阳系是不够的，我们需要探测和描述太阳系以外的行星系统。受到最近太阳系外行星的间接发现的鼓舞，下一步应该是直接探测它们。这项研究的目的是发展一种结合自适应光学的恒星冕仪，并将其应用于对巨行星的直接探测。它还旨在进行红外探测，以探测太阳系外行星探测的独特目标。我们已经成功地完成了仪器的开发，并在望远镜上获得了第一束光。我们在恒星形成区域进行的红外探测偶然发现了一些年轻的褐矮星，甚至是孤立的自由漂浮行星。仪器的发展和科学成果都已在文献中发表，并在主要报纸上进行介绍。

How do the planets form? What is the origin of our solar system? Is it unique? In order to answer these questions, it is not enough to study our solar system alone and we need to detect and characterize planetary systems outside our solar system. Encouraged with the recent INDIRECT discoveries of extrasolar planets, the next step should be their DIRECT detection. The aim of this research is the development of a stellar-coronagraph combined with the adaptive optics and its application to the direct detection of giant planets. It is also aimed to conduct infrared surveys in order to detect unique targets for extrasolar planets detection.We have successfully completed the instrument development and its first light has been obtained at the telescope. Our infrared surveys in star forming regions have brought a serendipitous discovery of a number of young brown dwarfs and even isolated free-floating planets. Both instrument development and the scientific results have been published in the literatures as well as being introduced in major newspapers.