An international team led by the University of Geneva and the University of Montreal has recently published the first observational results from the Near-Infrared Photon Beam Spectrometer (NIRPS), installed on the 3.6-meter telescope at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory in Chile. NIRPS is a high-resolution spectrograph specifically designed for the near-infrared wavelength range, excelling in the detection and characterization of exoplanets, particularly those orbiting red dwarf stars.

Combined with the visible-light HARPS spectrograph, NIRPS provides astronomers with an unprecedented spectral coverage, greatly enhancing the depth and breadth of exoplanet research. Since the start of scientific observations in April 2023, NIRPS has contributed to five papers published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, detailing its performance and initial scientific discoveries. “NIRPS is the fruit of technological innovation and international collaboration, and we are deeply proud of its unique capabilities and first results,” said project co-leader François Bouchy.

Using NIRPS's high-precision observational capabilities, astronomers have, for the first time, conducted a detailed analysis of the atmospheric features of the hot gas giant exoplanets WASP-189 b and WASP-69 b. The atmosphere of WASP-189 b is so extreme that evaporation of iron was detected, a phenomenon not captured in the near-infrared range, sparking new explorations into hidden chemical elements. Observations of WASP-69 b revealed the detailed structure of a comet-like helium tail in its atmosphere, providing crucial clues for understanding the evolution of planetary atmospheres under stellar radiation. Additionally, NIRPS confirmed the existence of Proxima Centauri b with unprecedented precision and found evidence of another potential low-mass planet, highlighting its potential in the search for Earth-like exoplanets.