How does direct imaging of extrasolar planets work?

Direct imaging is a technique used to observe extrasolar planets by capturing light that originates from the planet itself rather than inferring its presence through the motion or dimming of its host star.1

This process works in two primary ways:
* Reflected Light: Detecting starlight that has been reflected off the surface or atmosphere of the planet.1
* Thermal Emission: Capturing infrared radiation emitted by the planet, which is particularly effective for identifying young, massive planets located far from their parent stars.1

Because stars are significantly brighter than their orbiting planets, direct imaging is extremely challenging. To overcome the overwhelming glare of the host star, astronomers often utilize a coronagraph, an instrument that blocks the star's light from within the telescope, allowing the much dimmer objects in its immediate vicinity to become visible.213

This method is most successful when observing stars that are relatively close to the Sun, as the proximity of the system improves the ability to resolve the planet from the star's light.1