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Spitzer’s Solar System studies of asteroids, planets and the zodiacal cloud

Nature Astronomy volume 4, pages 940–946 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

In its 16 years of scientific measurements, the Spitzer Space Telescope performed a number of groundbreaking and key infrared measurements of Solar System objects near and far. In this second of two Review Articles, we describe results from Spitzer observations of asteroids, dust rings and planets that provide new insight into the formation and evolution of our Solar System. The key Spitzer results presented here can be grouped into three broad classes: characterizing the physical properties of asteroids, notably including a large survey of near-Earth objects; detection and characterization of several dust/debris disks in the Solar System; and comprehensive characterization of ice giant (Uranus and Neptune) atmospheres. Many of these observations provide critical foundations for future infrared space-based observations.

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Fig. 1: Composite albedo and diameter results for the Spitzer NEO surveys (2,204 unique objects).
Fig. 2: Spitzer/IRS spectra of three Jovian D-type Trojans.
Fig. 3: Model of the Earth’s dust ring based on Spitzer’s measurements around the Earth’s orbit.
Fig. 4: Saturn’s Phoebe ring.
Fig. 5: Longitudinal variability of Uranus in December 2007.
Fig. 6: Disk integrated spectrum of Uranus.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Spitzer project, without which none of the science described above would have been possible. The dedication, competence and excellence with which the staff of the Spitzer Science Center carried out their mission, and in particular observations of Solar System objects, is greatly appreciated, and has produced a scientific foundation that will last for decades. This work is based on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which was operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with NASA. Support for this work was provided by NASA, in some cases through an award issued by JPL/Caltech. Y.F. acknowledges support of a SIRTF/Spitzer Fellowship.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA

    David E. Trilling & Joshua P. Emery

  2. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA

    Carey Lisse

  3. Space Science and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA

    Dale P. Cruikshank & Yvonne J. Pendleton

  4. Department of Physics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Yanga Fernández

  5. Florida Space Institute, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Yanga Fernández

  6. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK

    Leigh N. Fletcher & Naomi Rowe-Gurney

  7. Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, USA

    Douglas P. Hamilton

  8. Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Washington, DC, USA

    Heidi B. Hammel

  9. DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany

    Alan W. Harris

  10. Leiden Observatory, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Michael Mueller

  11. SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Michael Mueller

  12. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA

    Glenn S. Orton

  13. Universities Space Research Center, SOFIA, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA

    William T. Reach

  14. Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Michael Skrutskie & Anne Verbiscer

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  1. David E. Trilling
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Contributions

D.E.T., C.L., D.P.C., Y.F., L.N.F., D.P.H., H.B.H., A.W.H., M.M., G.S.O., Y.J.P., W.R., M.S., N.R.G., and A.V. carried out scientific analysis and wrote parts of this paper. J.P.E. contributed scientific analysis that is presented in this paper.

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Correspondence to David E. Trilling.

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Peer review information Nature Astronomy thanks Nancy Chanover and Elisabetta Dotto for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Trilling, D.E., Lisse, C., Cruikshank, D.P. et al. Spitzer’s Solar System studies of asteroids, planets and the zodiacal cloud. Nat Astron 4, 940–946 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-01221-y

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