Poster Presentation

Direct imaging of exoplanets using chronography

Author(s): Salma Makhtich

Presenter: Salma Makhtich (Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco)

Direct imaging is a powerful technique for exploring exoplanets, yet it remains one of the most challenging methods in observational astronomy. Two major obstacles limit its performance: the extreme brightness contrast between a star and its orbiting planet, and the very small angular separation that makes them difficult to distinguish. Coronagraphy addresses these challenges by suppressing starlight and enhancing image contrast. This work presents an overview of the main coronagraph types such as Lyot, phase mask, and vortex designs and explains how each contributes to improving contrast and enabling the detection of faint exoplanets. The poster summarizes their principles, strengths, and current technical limitations to provide a clear understanding of how coronagraphs advance direct imaging capabilities.