Credit: Christian Marois, NRC Canada/Gizmag
Although its not the sharpest you've ever seen, the photograph above is a direct image of a planet (Beta Pictoris b) which is orbiting a star 63 million light years away. In addition to the distance, there is the problem of overcoming the dazzling light of the star. Think of pointing your camera directly into a searchlight & trying to take a photograph of a moth flying just to the side.
Gemini Planet Imager has done something similar, except that the star is very much brighter, & both star & planet, very much further away.
http://www.gizmag.com/gemini-planet-imager-pictoris/30379/ / 10 years development develop developed developing Gemini Observatory advanced planet imaging instrument capture captured direct image exoplanet Beta Pictoris b image breakthrough analysis analyze extrasolar planets planet planetary body Gemini Planet Imager GPI tool advanced optics system infrared spectograph recover retrieve direct images young planet planets orbit orbiting distant stars star GPI collaboration collaborate collaborative project developed institute institution institutes several countries test deployed 8meter 8-meter Gemini South telescope Chile first light first-light team targeted Beta Pictoris system capture direct images image imaging Beta Pictoris b some 63 million light years away detecting detection detect exoplanet exoplanets direct imaging image dazzle overpower overpowering light majority known exoplanets exoplanet detected detect detection indirect methods method transit method rely relies detection drop reduction brightness parent star pass passes in front Transit Timing Variation method compare comparison compares deviations deviation orbit caused gravitational pull computer based computer-based predictions predict prediction /
