We present a radiative-convective equilibrium model for young giant exoplanets. Model predictions are compared with the existing photometric measurements of planet beta Pictoris b in the J, H, Ks, L, NB 4.05, M bands . This model will be used to inte
rpret future photometric and spectroscopic observations of exoplanets with SPHERE, mounted at the VLT with a first light expected mid-2014.
Context. {beta} Pictoris b is one of the most studied objects nowadays since it was identified with VLT/NaCo as a bona-fide exoplanet with a mass of about 9 times that of Jupiter at an orbital separation of 8-9 AU. The link between the planet and the
dusty disk is unambiguously attested and this system provides an opportunity to study the disk/planet interactions and to constrain formation and evolutionary models of gas giant planets. Still, {beta} Pictoris b had never been confirmed with other telescopes so far. Aims. We aimed at an independent confirmation using a different instrument. Methods. We retrieved archive images from Gemini South obtained with the instrument NICI, which is designed for high contrast imaging. The observations combine coronagraphy and angular differential imaging and were obtained at three epochs in Nov. 2008, Dec. 2009 and Dec. 2010. Results. We report the detection with NICI of the planet {beta} Pictoris b in Dec. 2010 images at a separation of 404 pm 10 mas and P A = 212.1 pm 0.7{deg} . It is the first time this planet is observed with a telescope different than the VLT.
SPICES (Spectro-Polarimetric Imaging and Characterization of Exoplanetary Systems) is a five-year M-class mission proposed to ESA Cosmic Vision. Its purpose is to image and characterize long-period extrasolar planets and circumstellar disks in the vi
sible (450 - 900 nm) at a spectral resolution of about 40 using both spectroscopy and polarimetry. By 2020/22, present and near-term instruments will have found several tens of planets that SPICES will be able to observe and study in detail. Equipped with a 1.5 m telescope, SPICES can preferentially access exoplanets located at several AUs (0.5-10 AU) from nearby stars ($<$25 pc) with masses ranging from a few Jupiter masses to Super Earths ($sim$2 Earth radii, $sim$10 M$_{oplus}$) as well as circumstellar disks as faint as a few times the zodiacal light in the Solar System.
