direct imaging

Direct imaging is a technique used by astronomers to capture pictures of planets or other objects outside our solar system by blocking out the light from their parent stars. Since stars are incredibly bright compared to planets, special instruments like telescopes equipped with coronagraphs or starshades are used to reduce the star's glare. This allows astronomers to see faint objects nearby, such as exoplanets, much like taking a photograph of a firefly near a streetlamp without the lamp overwhelming the view. This method provides valuable information about the planet's atmosphere, composition, and orbit.