An Introduction to High Contrast Differential Imaging of Exoplanets and Disks

Abstract

This tutorial is an introduction to High-Contrast Imaging, a technique that enables astronomers to isolate light from faint planets and/or circumstellar disks that would otherwise be lost amidst the light of their host stars. Although technically challenging, high-contrast imaging allows for direct characterization of the properties of detected circumstellar sources. The intent of the article is to provide newcomers to the field a general overview of the terminology, observational considerations, data reduction strategies, and analysis techniques high-contrast imagers employ to identify, vet, and characterize planet and disk candidates.